Basil files FR petition seeking remand release

Former Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa yesterday filed a fundamental rights petition in the Supreme Court seeking an interim order directing the Kaduwela Magistrate to release him from remand custody.

In his petition, filed through Counsel Sanath Wijewardane, Rajapaksa cited 45 people, including Cabinet ministers, police chief N.K. Ilangakoon and the Attorney General, as respondents. 

In his petition, Rajapaksa stated that he was arrested and remanded for paying compensation and gratuity to Samurdhi recipients from the funds of the Divineguma community-based bank of the Divineguma Department. He added that another allegation in the case was the use of funds of the Divineguma Department to print five million almanacs for 2015. He stated that this was done by a lot of government institutions and was a periodic practice.

He also alleged that because he was being kept in remand custody, with the Police’s Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) objecting to bail, his fundamental rights were being continually violated.