Rishard allowed bail in Mannar incident

Sarath MALALASEKERA in Mannar

Panadura magistrate Ranga Dissanayake presiding at the Mannar magistrate’s court yesterday granted bail to Trade and Commerce Minister Rishard Bathiudeen.

The magistrate ordered the minister to furnish cash bail in Rs 10,000 and a Rs 500,000 surety bail bond with two sureties. Further hearing was postponed for October 4. The minister appeared in court on summons issued in connection with two telephone calls given to the Mannar magistrate on July 17 and 18 allegedly interfering with proceedings of a case pending before court.

At the outset, Senior State Counsel Sudharshana de Silva who appeared with IP Roshan Masimbulla of the CID submitted that a dossier of investigations had been forwarded to the Attorney General for advice.

M N Zuhair, PC moving for bail for Bathiudeen submitted the minister had come in respect of summons issued by court.

Attorneys at law Anura Medagoda, Shiraz Noordeen, N M Zaheed, Hijaz Hizbullah, Mishmi Godellawatte and M I Samsudeen also appeared for the minister. Bar Association former Secretary Udaya Roshan de Silva along with Rasika Dissanayake and Ranjith Haturusinghe watched the interests of the Bar Association.