OTTAWA - A man deported to Sri Lanka is in hiding after being interrogated, and possibly tortured, in Colombo -- the result, says his Toronto lawyer, of an exaggerated news release from the Canadian government trumpeting his removal.

Jothiravi Sittampalam is asking the Federal Court of Canada to reopen his case, saying his life is in danger because of the "egregious" conduct of the immigration and public safety ministers.

In documents filed with the court, lawyer Barbara Jackman says the ministers put Sittampalam at risk by "sensationalizing" his deportation, especially since a government delegate had earlier concluded he would face no harm in Sri Lanka because his public profile had faded.

Jackman also accuses Canadian officials of failing to disclose that they gave Sri Lanka information fingering Sittampalam as a fundraiser for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam -- a group that waged a bloody fight for an independent homeland. Sittampalam denies committing crimes to support the LTTE.

A hearing is scheduled for Thursday in Toronto. The government has until mid-week to file a reply on its handling of Sittampalam's case.

"We want the new evidence to be before the court, and ultimately if he succeeds in court we want him brought back," Jackman said in an interview. "In fact, I want him brought back now. I don't think he's safe waiting.

"I would hope that the minister would do the right thing."

Sittampalam, 40, was deported June 11 because of a cocaine trafficking conviction and the likelihood he led a Tamil street gang, A.K. Kannan, in the 1990s in Toronto.

A former long-distance trucker with landed-immigrant status, he left behind a wife and two young children.

A delegate for Immigration Minister Jason Kenney rejected the notion Sittampalam would be of interest to the Sri Lankan government -- even though he had been identified in the media as the leader of a Tamil gang -- because the "information and articles are dated."

Upon being returned to Sri Lanka, Sittampalam was interrogated over a 25-hour period and threatened before being released on bail and told that he was under investigation, the court submission says.

On June 21, Kenney and Public Safety Minister Vic Toews were quoted in a federal press release describing Sittampalam as a "violent gang leader" -- even though the A.K. Kannan hadn't existed for several years and he had no criminal convictions for violent behaviour.

The statements led to his "name, picture and 'violent' character being plastered all over the news in Sri Lanka -- print, radio, Internet and Twitter-like communications," says the court submission.

Police came to Sittampalam's home June 26, arresting him and his elderly father. His father was soon released but Sittampalam was taken to the fourth floor of the Sri Lankan police force's Criminal Investigation Division.

"Human rights reports have for many years identified the CID as a place where torture occurs," says the court filing.

An arrest notice from the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law and Order says Sittampalam was picked up for "leading A.K. Kannan gang in Canada and found raising (sic) for LTTE."

While imprisoned, Sittampalam was permitted to telephone his wife in Canada, but could not speak freely as he was always in the presence of police.

Jackman argues the timing of Sittampalam's latest arrest strongly points to the ministerial press release.

"The conduct of both ministers in making public statements about Mr. Sittampalam, labelling him in the present tense as a violent criminal, appear calculated to cause him problems in Sri Lanka," says the court submission.

Jackman wants the Federal Court to hear evidence on the latest developments and call the government to explain its actions.

She suspects Sittampalam was released only because of the latest court filing, adding that he fears police will arrest him again.

"He's very, very much afraid."