The police constable who was in the spotlight when he issued a speeding ticket to a deputy minister’s driver and later arrested on charges of having solicited a bribe was today released on bail.

Colombo High Court Judge Lalith Jayasuriya released PC Suminda Saman Gunasekera and Inspector R.R.M.P. Bandara Dunuwila on a Rs.25,000 cash bail with two sureties of Rs.500,000 each in a bribery case filed before the High Court.

They were indicted by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption on charges of have solicited a bribe of Rs.5,000 illicit liquor distiller.

Senior Counsel Anura Meddagoda appearing with Attorneys-at-law Nihara Randeniya and Andria Ranasinghe said according to the police the incident had taken place in 2008 and the indictment filed in the High Court after the lapse of six years.

The Counsel said his client Saman Gunasekera while working as a constable attached to the Kottawa Police Post on the Southern Expressway at the time the incident had issued a 1,000-rupee ticket for exceeding the speed limit on the Highway to the driver of Cooperatives and Internal Trade Deputy Minister Hemal Gunasekera.

Since then the constable and his family have been under threat and as such sent his resignation to the Police Chief N.K. Illangakoon.

The Counsel said following the incident, PC Gunasekera was subjected to intense grilling by the police.  On May 30, when PC Gunasekera was coming to work in his car, he was attacked by some gangsters and since then had not reported to work.

The Counsel said thereafter the Bribery Commission had indicted his client and the OIC of the unit in 2008 on fabricated charges. (T. Farook Thajudeen and Jehan Gunasekara)