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CID withdraws case against controversial author

by Sarath Malalasekera

The case filed against the author of the book titled Mary Novoo Maria was yesterday withdrawn by the CID before the Maligakanda Magistrate and Additional District Judge Ms. Kusala Sarojini Weerawardena following an undertaking in Court by the author to publish the book without the present cover after deleting the alleged blasphemous contents in the book.

The author Dammika Manjula Wediwardena of Kolonnawa, Wellampitiya was charged by the CID with having the book titled Mary Novoo Maria with alleged blasphemous contents in one of its short stories.

Ajith Pathirana. senior counsel for the author, submitted to Court that his client had already given an undertaking to the District Court not to publish the book. Counsel Pathirana said that several copies of the book titled 'Mary Novoo Maria' were taken into custody by the CID from his client's possession and moved Court to release them to the author.

Rev. Fr. Fernando, the complainant had no objection to the books being released to the author and appealed to Court that a direction be given to the author not to sell the book with the present cover and the blasphemous contents.

Author's counsel agreed to abide by the Court order and said that he would summon the printers to Court on the next date to remove all blasphemous contents before removing the copies now in Court custody.

Ajith Pathirana with Ananda Premasinghe appeared for the author.

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