Magistrate Gamage who has been sent on compulsory leave by the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) cited the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Special Investigations Unit OIC as the respondent. This petition had been filed before Gangodawila Magistrate’s Court through Senior Counsel Ajith Pathirana.

In his anticipatory bail application, Magistrate Gamage informed Court that there is an attempt by the CID to arrest him over the alleged possession of an elephant without a valid licence.

He informed Court that a team of CID officers had arrived at his house in search of him. The petitioner further said that his mother was harassed by the CID officers when they arrived at his house recently. He moved Court to grant him anticipatory bail.

Gamage denied allegations leveled against him and maintained that he had not committed any offence.

Finally, the petitioner moved Court that an order be issued on the CID directing them to release him on an anticipatory bail, if he was arrested over the alleged charges.

Having considered the anticipatory bail application, Gangodawila Magistrate Kanishka Wijeratne ordered that notices be issued on the CID Special Investigations Unit OIC to be present in Court on May 30, the next date of the hearing. The Attorney General recently gave instructions to the CID that Gamage be named as a suspect and steps be taken to produce him in Court for allegedly possessing a baby elephant without a valid licence.
(Dailynews.lk)