Warrant issued against Arjuna Ranatunga recalled

By T. Farook Thajudeen 

Colombo Chief Magistrate issued an arrest warrant yesterday for the arrest of former Petroleum Minister Arjuna Ranatunga which was later recalled after he appeared before the Magistrate on a motion.   

Senior Counsel Prasad Thirimanna producing Ranatunga before the Magistrate told the court that he had not received the summons which were served to his office in Nugegoda. 

The Magistrate had issued this warrant for the arrest of Ranatunga on a request made by Counsel R.A.P. Ranawaka who appeared on behalf of the ten suspects during the inquiry. 

At the outset of the inquiry Counsel Ranawaka pleaded to Chief Magistrate Mohamed Mihal to issue a warrant against complainant Ranatunga as he had absconded court although the summons had been served on him to appear before court yesterday. 

Originally the CCD had filed a case against Ranatunga and his bodyguard for allegedly assaulting and shooting an employee of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC). 

Subsequently the case was withdrawn and a fresh case was filed against ten suspects for assaulting the former Petroleum Minister at the CPC head office in Dematagoda during an altercation that took place there. 

Counsel Thirimanna producing Ranatunga before the Magistrate told the court that the summons issued by the court on Ranatunga had been served to his office in Nugegoda and it was misplaced. The magistrate while recalling the warrant fixed further inquiry for 18 January 2021.