Bail rejected for Rishad Bathiudeen; MP returned to remand custody

by Zulfick Farzan 27-10-2020 | 4:02 PM

Colombo (News 1st); Ex-Minister and current MP Rishad Bathiudeen was ordered to be returned to remand custody until the 10th of November, by Fort Magistrate Priyantha Liyanage on Tuesday (27).

The Ex-Minister is charged with Criminal Misappropriation of Public Funds to the tune of Rs. 9.5 Million and Violation of Election Laws with regard to the Transportation of IDPs in CTB buses to vote at the 2019 Presidential Election.

Applications for bail filed for the Ex-Minister and the 03rd of suspect in the case, the Ex-Minister's accountant Alagarathnam Manoranjan were rejected by the Fort Magistrate.

Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris appearing for the Attorney General pointed out to court the investigations on the two suspects are yet to be completed and granting bail would be an obstruction to the investigations and the suspect could evade court as well.

06 suspects including a specialist doctor arrested for harboring Rishad Bathiudeen were released on a personal bail of Rs. 300,000/- each.

In addition, the Criminal Investigations Department was ordered by the court to call for a medical report by producing Mohamed Yaseen Samsudeen, a Project Director at the Ministry of Resettlement, from traveling overseas, who is also a suspect to te Colombo Chief JMP.

Samsudeen had undergone heart surgery and is receiving treatment under the custody of Prison Officers.