Lanka e-News website editor Sandaruwan Senadheera, who had been granted political asylum in Britain for over 16 years, returned to the island this afternoon (11). He was arrested by the police upon his arrival in Sri Lanka from the Katunayake International Airport.
It is reported that he was arrested as a suspect in a case pending in court and is currently being detained at the Katunayake Police Station, where his statements are being recorded.
In 2010, journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda, who worked for his Lanka e-News website, disappeared, and subsequently, an attack was launched on Lanka e-News. Under these circumstances, Sandaruwan Senadheera fled the country for his life and sought political asylum in Britain.
The Supreme Court had issued notice to Lanka e News website editor Sandaruwan Senadheera on January 19, 2017, to show cause for contempt of court.
That was when a petition filed by lawyer Madura Withanage was called, alleging that certain news published on the Lanka e News website had caused contempt of court.
The complaint stated that the Lanka e News website had published news in a manner that was contempt of court on 14 occasions and that an investigation should be conducted into this act by the website and appropriate punishment should be given.