FR application against ANCL:

Petitioner withdraws

Sarath Malalasekera

The Fundamental Rights application filed by Dinamina Deputy News Editor Ranjith Pathmasiri against the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (ANCL) was withdrawn by Pathmasiri's Senior Counsel M A Sumanthiran before the Supreme Court yesterday.

Ranjith Pathmasiri was interdicted after a news item appeared in the Dinamina in connection with the Election Petition filed by Sarath Fonseka challenging the election of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The five-Judge Bench of the Supreme Court who heard the preliminary objections dismissed in Limine upholding the submissions made by President's Counsel D S Wijesinghe, Senior Counsel for President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

This Supreme Court order was misreported in the Dinamina headlines.

In this connection Ranjith Pathmasiri was interdicted and later he filed a FR case against the management.

When the case came up yesterday before Chief Justice Asoka de Silva, Justice Saleem Marsoof PC and Justice K Sripavan, Senior Counsel for Ranjith Pathmasiri, Sumanthiran submitted to Court that there was nothing wrong in the headline appeared in the Dinamina in connection with the Supreme Court order in respect of the election petition filed by Sarath Fonseka.

Senior Counsel Sumanthiran further submitted that his client was not responsible for the headline appeared in the Dinamina in connection with the SC order in respect of the election petition filed by Sarath Fonseka. Senior Counsel for the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited President's Counsel Nihal Jayamane submitted that the headline appeared in the Dinamina in respect of the Supreme Court order in connection with the election petition of Sarath Fonseka was not only defamatory but also contempt of Court.

In his lengthy submissions President's Counsel Jayamane said if the petitioner withdrew his application before the Supreme Court he would take appropriate steps concerning petitioner Ranjith Pathmasiri.

President's Counsel Nihal Jayamane with Attorney Priyantha Jayawardena instructed by Attorneys Kumudu Gunawardena and Mohan Rupasinghe appeared for the ANCL.