Former Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa today has filed a fundamental rights petition in the Supreme Court seeking an interim order directing the Kaduwela Magistrate to release him from remand custody.

In his petition filed through Counsel Sanath Wijewardane, Mr. Rajapaksa cited 45 persons including the ministers of cabinet, police chief N.K. Ilangakoon and the Attorney General as respondents.

He further sought a declaration that all steps taken in consequence of gazette No.1901/20 dated 13.2.2015 over Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) were null and void and had no force or effect in law.

The petitioner stated that he was arrested and remanded for paying compensation and gratuity to Samurdhi recipients from the funds of Divineguma community based bank by the Divineguma Department. He further said that another allegation in the case was the use of funds of the Divineguma Department to print 5 million almanacs for the year 2015. He stated that this was done by a lot of government institutions and was a periodic practice.

The petitioner stated after his purported arrest on April 22, he was made aware that the said FCID has been established on February 13 under the patronage of Prime Minister wherein special complaints were forwarded by the cabinet sub-committee directly to the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of frauds and corruption.

He alleged there was a continuing violation of his fundamental rights in that he was continually being kept in remand custody and the FCID was objecting to bail.

He further sought an order to issue a declaration that there was an imminent infringement and imminent violation of the petitioner’s fundamental rights as guaranteed by Articles 12, 12[1], 12[2], 13[1] and 14[1][h] of the constitution.(Lakmal Sooriyagoda)