Ranjan Ramanayake given bail

 UNP MP Ranjan Ramanayake, who was arrested on Saturday 4 January, was granted bail by the Nugegoda Magistrate Court yesterday - Pic by Nisal Baduge

• Travel ban imposed
• Ramanayake’s property searched to seek evidence of influencing law enforcement and judiciary: Government

United National Party (UNP) parliamentarian and actor Ranjan Ramanayake was yesterday granted bail by the Gangodawila Magistrates Courts. 

Ramanayake was released on two surety bail bonds of Rs. 500,000 each. In addition a travel ban was imposed on the MP by the Magistrates Court. 

Ramanayake was arrested on Friday evening after Police armed with a search warrant from the Nugegoda Magistrate searched his ministerial premises. According to the press release issued by the Police on the day, officers from the Colombo South Crime Range arrested the MP for being in possession of an unlicensed 9 mm pistol and 127 rounds of ammunition. 

However, parliamentarian and Government spokesman Mahindananda Aluthgamage told media that the Police had got it wrong, alleging that the reason Ramanayake was taken in to custody was due to the Police finding recording of telephone conversations between the suspect and other State and judicial officers which implicate the MP in influencing investigations and court proceedings. 

The Police Media Division in a press release issued yesterday claimed that Police acting on a search warrant, searched and located disks, CDs, a laptop and a firearm from the premises. Police said they were looking for and found audio recordings of telephone conversation regarding the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the Financial Crime Investigation Division (FCID) and the Bribery Commission. 

The Police is continuing their investigating the recording and also the unlicensed firearm to ascertain if it has been used in any criminal activity. MP Ranjan Ramanayake was not available for comment.