Chairmen of Nawalapitiya Urban council and Akuressa p.s. granted bail

By Ranjith Rajapakse   

Chairman of the Nawalapitiya Urban council Sasanka Sampath Sanjeewa and seven others who had been on remand on suspicion of violating the curfew and gambling in a tourist hotel in Nawalapitiya were released yesterday on personal bail amounting to Rs.100,000 each by the Hatton District Judge and Magistrate J.Trotsky.  
They had been arrested and two luxury vehicles belonging to them seized on April 30 by a police team comprising officers from Watawala and Ginigathhena police on intelligence received by the Hatton Division Anti Vice Squad and remanded till yesterday. The magistrate had ordered the suspects to be produced for a PCR test.  
When they were produced in court yesterday OIC Ginigathhena police CI Jayanka Karunadasa told court that the police were conducting further investigations regarding the two vehicles and requested the magistrate to further remand the suspects. However the lawyers appearing for the suspects told court that the suspects had been playing cards and not gambling for money at the time of arrest. The magistrate who up held the submissions of the lawyer released the suspects on bail.   

Meanwhile the Chairman of the Akuressa Pradeshiya Sabha Munidasa Gamage and four others who had gone on a pilgrimage to Sri Padastana violating the curfew and the quarantine regulations were fined Rs.1600.00 each by Magistrate Trotsky when they pleaded guilty. They had been arrested by the Maskeliya police at the Maussakele check point and released on police bail.  The Magistrate ordered the release of the lorry belonging to the Pradeshiya Sabha.

The Suspects had been taken into custody for engaging in unlawful activities during the police curfew