Fort Magistrate further remands MP Rishad Bathiudeen till 25 Nov.

• Director CID ordered to show cause for not adhering to court order on next date 

By T. Farook Thajudeen

The Fort Magistrate yesterday rejected the bail application of MP Rishad Bathiudeen, who was remanded on charges of misappropriation of State funds to transport internally displaced persons by buses from Puttalam to Mannar during the 2019 Presidential Election.

Fort Magistrate Priyantha Liyanage further remanded Bathiudeen till 25 November after observing that the reasons sought by Bathiudeen’s counsel to seek bail cannot be considered as special circumstances.

The Magistrate said the counsel had sought bail for his client based on the fast spread of COVID-19.

The Magistrate observed that there is no record of the virus spreading to the Magazine Prison, where the suspect is being kept in remand, and refused to release him on bail. 

However, the Magistrate granted bail to the other suspect Mohamed Nawfer Mohamed Maharoof as the pandemic had spread to the Bogambara Prison, where the suspect is being kept in remand.

Magistrate Priyantha Liyanage released Maharoof on Rs. 100,000 cash bail with two sureties for Rs. 1 million on each surety. His passport was impounded, and he was ordered to appear before the CID once in a fortnight. 

Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Pieris, appearing for the Prosecution, complained to the Magistrate that on 20 October, the Magistrate had ordered the Director of the CID to show cause as to why the second suspect Rishad Bathiudeen was brought to court under cover without a reasonable cause. He said the Director of the CID, up to now, had ignored the order of the Magistrate.

Hence the Magistrate ordered the CID Director to personally appear before Court on the next case date and show cause.

Counsel Anuja Premaratna PC and Razick Zarook PC appeared for suspect Mohamed Nawfer Mohamed Maharoof. Anil Silva PC, K.V. Thavarasha PC with Attorneys-at-law Nandana Perera and Arnold Priyanthan appeared for the suspects on the instruction of Senior Attorney-at-Law Gawry Sangari Thavarasha.