Rishad files writ to prevent his arrest

By Chitra Weerarathne

SJB MP Rishad Bathiudeen yesterday filed a writ application in the Court of Appeal, to prevent his arrest by the CID.

Bathiudeen has requested the Court to issue a writ of prohibition on the Director, CID on the latter’s alleged attempt to unfairly arrest him. He also requested interim relief against the Director CID, ordering him not to take any unreasonable steps against Bathiudeen, recently.

The Fort Magistrate has informed the CID that a warrant is not needed to arrest the suspect as the allegations against him were the misuse of public money and the violation of election laws in the run-up to the last presidential election. The allegation against the suspect is that he used public money to transport voters, from Puttalam to Mannar, using CTB buses. The suspect was the Minister of Industrial Development, during the former UNP regime.