The Court of Appeal has dismissed, without taking it up for hearing, a writ petition filed by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa seeking an order preventing his arrest and detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) in connection with investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.
Rajapaksa had sought an order preventing the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) from arresting or detaining him as part of the ongoing investigation into the attacks.
The petition had cited the Inspector General of Police, CID Director Shani Abeysekera, the officer in charge of the CID’s Special Investigations Unit and the Attorney General as respondents.
The Court of Appeal had earlier heard submissions from lawyers representing Rajapaksa and the respondents before reserving its decision on whether the petition should be allowed to proceed.
Rajapaksa had also sought interim protection from arrest while the petition was being considered. During earlier proceedings, the Attorney General’s Department had informed court that it was unable to give an undertaking that Rajapaksa would not be arrested without first obtaining instructions from the relevant respondents.
The petition was filed amid the CID’s continuing investigation into the April 21, 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.
Rajapaksa has denied involvement in the attacks and has contested allegations linking him to them. The filing of the petition and its dismissal do not by themselves establish criminal liability in relation to the investigation. (Newswire)
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