Former Director General of the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority Keerthi B. Kotagama has reportedly filed an anticipatory bail application in connection with the ongoing investigations against former State Minister Shashindra Rajapaksa for criminal misappropriation of state property.
Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama yesterday ordered the Bribery Commission to present the objections to the application to the court on the 18th of next month.
When the petition was taken up before the Colombo Chief Magistrate, the petitioner’s lawyer Hansi Athukorala stated in court that his client had reasonable suspicion regarding his arrest by the Bribery Commission.
The lawyer informed the court that the Bribery Commission had notified her client to give a statement in connection with an investigation conducted against former Minister Shashindra Rajapaksa. The lawyer requested the court to grant anticipatory bail so that he could obtain bail if he was arrested in such a case.
The lawyer explained the facts regarding the incident and stated that the petitioner was a former Director General of the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority and that he had not exerted any influence in the award of compensation to former State Minister Shashindra Rajapaksa.
After considering the facts, the Chief Magistrate issued a notice to the respondent Bribery Commission to appear before the court on the 18th and present his case, and the hearing on the petition was adjourned until then.