Gamage’s lawyer has informed the court that his client had bought the jumbo from a person by the name Chadraratne Yatawara, and produced documents to show that it has been registered.

Raising objections, the state counsel said police investigations indicated that a person by that name did not exist, and challenged the defendant to produce him before courts, if the jumbo was to be freed.

Gamage’s lawyer said that according to the law, the original owner needed not be produced in order to claim the jumbo.

Investigating unregistered elephants, the CID has directed the Colombo magistrate’s court to send 25 of them to the wildlife department’s custody, BBC Sandeshaya reports.