BBS Gnanasara Thero files FR against arrest

In the fresh twist General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero yesterday filed a Fundamental Rights petition with the Supreme Court through his lawyers, seeking an interim order preventing his arrest.  

In his petition, he states that the Organised Crimes Prevention Division (OCPD), which is conducting an investigation linking him to inciting communal disharmony, is preparing to arrest him without any proper investigation and due process.  

The OIC of the Organised Crimes Prevention Division and the Attorney General are among those named as respondents in the FR petition. 

In his petition, Gnanasara Thero requests that an interim order is issued preventing his arrest until the relevant investigations are concluded or the Attorney General’s instructions are received. Police have a number of teams deployed to arrest the head of the BBS and over the weekend arrested four alleged members of the organization. However, the BBS has distanced itself from the arrests and claimed that the suspects are not members of the hard line outfit.