ARREST WARRANT ON RAJITHA

Colombo Additional Magistrate Bandara Nelumdeniya yesterday issued a warrant to the CID for the arrest of former minister Rajitha Senaratne. The warrant was obtained by the CID based on the instructions given by Attorney General Dappula de Livera to arrest former minister in connection with the ‘white-van’ news conference held on November 10.

Deputy Solicitor General (DSG) Dileepa Peiris and CID officials informed the Magistrate that since the former minister had filed three anticipatory bail applications in the Magistrate’s Court, the AG had instructed them to obtain an arrest warrant from the Magistrate’s Court.

Mr. Senaratne filed three anticipatory bail applications in Court and on Monday Colombo Additional Magistrate had fixed the inquiry into his second and third bail applications on December 30.

The initial anticipatory bail application filed by him on December 19 was rejected by Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne on the basis that the court could not grant anticipatory bail in relation to uncertain charges.

The Colombo Chief Magistrate also imposed a travel ban on Mr. Senaratne after the CID informed the Magistrate that it was essential for him to remain in the country to conduct further investigations into the matter.

On November 10, prior to the presidential election, Mr. Senaratne held a news conference and introduced two men describing them to have been ‘white-van’ drivers involved in abductions during the then Rajapaksa regime.

The two men identified as Sarath Kumara and Sanjeewa Madanayake were arrested by the CID and remanded till December 27.