Through the application, Gotabaya has also sought intervention of the Supreme Court to prevent his imminent arrest pending and/or on the conclusion of the several purported investigations by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Commission to Investigate Bribery and Corruptions and/or the FCID.

The respondents in the petition include the Cabinet of Ministers, Secretary to the President, Inspector General of Police, DIG of the Frauds and Corruption Investigative Division, Director of the CID, and the Attorney General.

Earlier in the day, 'Adaderana' reported that Rajapaksa, who was initially informed to be present at the FCID today has been asked to appear on May 20.

Rajapaksa has been asked to visit the FCID for questioning regarding the controversial MiG deal and a share issuance by Lanka Hospitals.

He had also visited the Bribery Commission to give a statement today.

PM assures independence of FCID

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe today said that the FCID, which came to effect in February through an extraordinary gazette notification, is only a functional division of the Police Department, which was established in response to the emerging trend of serious financial frauds.

Issuing a statement, the Prime Minister also assured that the Government guarantees the independence of the investigations carried out by all the law enforcement agencies in the country including the FCID and denies any sort of undue political intervention to the enforcement of law.