COLOMBO : Parliamentarian Rajan Ramanayaka was arrested because of his undue interference with the judiciary and with the security when he was in power, Government spokesman Mahinanda Aluthgamage said here on Sunday.
Aluthagmage was speaking to the press following the arrest of Ranjan Ramanayake over a gun license issue on Saturday.
On a warrant issued by the Gangodawila magistrate, Ramanayake was arrested by the police and was produced before the magistrate on Sunday. On arrest, the police said that Ramanayake was taken into custody since he had in his possession a pistol without a valid license from the government
The magistrate had released Ramanayake on a bail with two sureties depositing Rs 500, 000 each.
Speaking further, the spokesman said : “ Ranjan Ramanayake was arrested not over his gun issue, Police was wrong. He was arrested over the phone recordings found from his phone which shows he pressurised Judiciary, CID officers when in power.”
Speaking to the press following his release from police custody, Ramanayake said that justice prevailed. He pointed out that the magistrate released him because the police had purposely charged him on trivial grounds. He said that the pistol was given by the government five years ago and he had renewed it for the first two years and his security people had forgotten to renew it for the rest of the three years.
The court imposed a foreign travel ban on Ramanayake and was asked to appear before court on Jan.17
