Ceylon Newspapers’ writ against arrests fixed for hearing

Colombo, July 13 (Daily Mirror) - A writ petition filed by Ceylon Newspapers (Private) Limited seeking an order preventing the police from arresting its Chairman, former Public Security Minister Tiran Alles, as well as its directors and employees over an ongoing investigation into allegedly dishonoured cheques issued to a newsprint supplier, has been fixed for argument by the Court of Appeal.

When the matter was taken up last Thursday (9) before Justices Sasi Mahendran and Pradeep Hettiarachchi, the Court fixed the petition for argument on July 30 after being informed that no settlement had been reached between the parties.

Ceylon Newspapers (Private) Limited filed this petition naming the Inspector General, the Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the Officer-in-Charge of the Commercial Crime Investigation Unit, LPL Kesara Lanka (Pvt) Ltd., and the Attorney General as respondents.

The Court had already issued an interim order in connection with the incident, and counsel appearing for LPL Kesara Lanka (Pvt) Ltd. submitted that the continuation of the interim order would hamper the ongoing investigations.

The court was also informed that the Attorney General has filed limited objections against the application.

The petitioner states that Ceylon Newspapers publishes the newspapers Ceylon Today and Mawbima and that LPL Kesara Lanka has been a long-standing supplier of newsprint to the company.

According to the petition, the company had an established arrangement with the supplier whereby post-dated cheques were issued as security and were not intended to be presented for payment. It claims that payments for newsprint were instead made through cash, letters of credit or, on some occasions, ordinary cheques. The petition alleges that if payment had not been made by the date appearing on a post-dated cheque, a fresh cheque would be issued.

The company contends that this arrangement was adhered to while Tiran Alles served as a Cabinet Minister between 2019 and September 2024. However, it alleges that after he ceased to hold ministerial office, the supplier breached the understanding by presenting several post-dated cheques for payment, resulting in their dishonour. The petitioner further claims that some payments were subsequently stopped and alleges that the cheques were presented wrongfully and maliciously.

The petition states that the supplier has either made or is about to make a complaint to the police seeking the arrest of Tiran Alles and other directors or employees over the issuance of the cheques. It argues that no criminal offence has been committed, maintaining that the dispute is purely civil in nature and concerns payment for goods supplied.

Dr.Romesh De Silva, PC with Senior Counsel Sugath Caldera appeared for the petitioner. Viran Corea, PC with Thilini Vidanagamage appeared for LPL Kesara Lanka (Pvt) Ltd.