Court to take up Rajitha’s anticipatory bail application on 30 Dec.

• Colombo Additional Magistrate also issues travel ban

The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court yesterday fixed 30 December to take up former Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne’s anticipatory bail application.

Dr. Senaratne’s second anticipatory bail application was taken up for consideration before the Colombo Chief Magistrate earlier on Monday. On the same day, Colombo Additional Magistrate Priyantha Liyanage issued an Order banning the former Minister from any foreign travel, after considering a Motion filed by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).   

The former Minister filed a newly amended affidavit with regard to the anticipatory bail application, along with new documents related to the relevant incident. 

Dr. Rajitha Senaratne

Dr. Senaratne on 19 December lodged his first anticipatory bail application, stating that the CID was planning to arrest him over the controversial media briefing on allegations of white van abductions that he held several days before the Presidential Election. The Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and several other officials were named as the respondents of this bail application.

However, the Colombo Chief Magistrate rejected Dr. Senaratne’s anticipatory bail application when it was taken up for consideration last Thursday.

Dr. Senaratne then filed a second anticipatory bail application last Friday, requesting Court to release him on anticipatory bail before the CID takes him into custody.