Sunday Leader journalist granted bail

Suranjith PERERA

Mount Lavinia Magistrate Ishani Jayasekera yesterday granted bail to Arthur Vamanan Sauntharalingam, the Sunday Leader journalist who was under remand custody for allegedly demanding Rs.5 million ransom from Minister Mano Wijeratne. Sauntharalingam was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department for allegedly demanding Rs.5 million ransom from Wijeratne.

He was granted personal bail on the condition that he should report to the CID on the last Saturday of every month. He has also been advised not to influence any of the witnesses in connection with the case.

The Sunday Leader journalist was arrested by the CID on a complaint by Wijeratne that the journalist had demanded Rs.5 million for not to publish a news report about the alleged payment of a Rs.87,000 telephone bill of his wife from the Gem and Jewellery Authority account.