Court of Appeal issues order not to arrest Ravi K

Court of Appeal yesterday (07) issued an Interim Order not to arrest former minister Ravi Karunanayake and seven other Petitioners until the final determination of the Writ Petitions. The Bench comprising

Ravi Karunanayake

Justices A.H.M.D. Nawaz (President/CA), Shiran Goonaratne and Sobhitha Rajakaruna – whom also issued another Interim Order staying the arrest warrant issued by Colombo Fort Magistrate.

The Court was of the view that the issue raised by the parties needed to be resolved and decided after the matter was fully argued. For the reasons stated above, the Court issued an Interim Order not to arrest and remand the Petitioner until the final determination of the Writ applications. The Court also observed that it would be nugatory if the Petitioner is arrested and remanded before the matter in Court of Appeal is decided.

Court issued notices returnable for 25 August. Objections are to be filed on or before 25 August 2020 and Counter Objections on 29 September 2020. There are seven Petitions in the Court of Appeal seeking to quash the arrest warrant issued by the Fort Magistrate Court on 6 March 2020, in respect of the Treasury bond auction scheduled for 31 March 2016 on the purported allegations of inside information resulting alleged loss to State Banks.

Attorney General had submitted to Court that the Petitioner has committed the offences of (1) Conspiracy to commit criminal misappropriation; (2) aiding and abetting Perpetual Treasuries Ltd to commit criminal misappropriation; and (3) cheating representatives of the Peoples Bank, Bank of Ceylon and National Savings Bank and thereby committing an offence under section 5 of the Public Property Act.

Faisz Musthapha PC with Rienzi Aresecularatne PC, Shavindra Fernando PC, Anura Meddegoda PC, Senany Dayaratne, Faisza Markar, Riad Ameen, Chamendri Aresecularatne and Nisala Seniya Fernando, instructed by G.S. Thavarasha for the Petitioner in two Petitions.

Navin Marapana PC with Kaushalya Molligoda, Uchitha Wickremasinghe and Thanuja Meegahawatte appeared in another Petition. Manoj Bandara with Rashini Thyagaraj and Hasitha Gamage, instructed by Sudath Perera Associate in two other Petitions.

Senior Deputy Solicitors General Milinda Gunathilake and Haripriya Jayasundra, as well as Senior State Counsels Shaheeda Barrie and Lakmini Girihagama and State Counsel Chathurika Wijesooriya, appeared for the Respondents.