Attorney General tells CA that Dappula will not be arrested
The Attorney General gave a promise to the Court of Appeal yesterday (22) that he would not arrest former Attorney General Dappula de Livera in relation to a statement he made to the media regarding the Easter Sunday terror attack.
Additional Solicitor General Parinda Ranasinghe, who appeared for the Attorney General, made this promise when considering a writ petition filed by the former AG Dappula de Livera against his summons to the Criminal Investigation Department regarding a statement made by him while he was serving as the Attorney General. This petition was called before an Appellate Court Bench consisting of Judges Sobitha Rajakaruna and M.A.R.Marikkar.
Additional Solicitor General Parinda Ranasinghe, who appeared before the court, stated that after the statement made by the petitioner related facts were spread through the media. However, he assured that the petitioner would not be arrested even though the public had paid special attention to his statement.
President’s Counsel K. Kanageswaran who appeared on behalf of the respondent President of the Bar Association. mentioned that he was working with all parties to reach a settlement regarding this questionable incident. After considering the facts, the panel of judges decided to consider the petition further on September 12.
The Court of Appeal also decided to extend four interim restraining orders that had been issued preventing the arrest or recording of a statement of former Attorney General Dappula de Livera until that date.
The Inspector General of Police, Deputy Inspector General of the Criminal Investigation Department, Prasad Ranasinghe, SSP Prasanna de Alwis, Chief Inspector K.N.O. Perera, Bar Association President Kaushalya Navaratne and five persons including the Attorney General are the respondents in the petition. Former Attorney General Dappula de Livera was summoned before the Criminal Investigation Department to record a statement regarding a proclamation he made about the Easter Sunday attack. He has filed this petition against it.
President’s Counsel Dr. Romesh de Silva on the advice of attorneys Sanath Wijewardena and Shanaka Cooray appeared for the petitioner.