Harin’s FR petition to prevent being arrested over Easter Sunday attacks withdrawn

• On a previous occasion, the Attorney General gave an undertaking to the Supreme Court that Harin Fernando would not be arrested regarding this incident

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda   

The Fundamental Rights petition filed by Minister Harin Fernando seeking an order preventing police from arresting him in connection with the Easter Sunday attacks was yesterday withdrawn before the Supreme Court.  

The CID had commenced an investigation against Harin Fernando regarding a statement he had made saying that his father pre-warned him about a terrorist attack on Easter Sunday.  

 Counsel who appeared on behalf of Minister Harin Fernando sought court’s permission to withdraw the petition since the Attorney General has given instructions to the CID to conclude the investigations against Harin Fernando.  

Supreme Court three-judge-bench comprising Justices Gamini Amarasekara, Mahinda Samayawardena and Arjuna Obeysekera permitted the petitioner to withdraw the application.   

Harin Fernando had filed this Fundamental Rights petition in the Supreme Court seeking an order preventing police from arresting him in connection with the Easter Sunday attack.  

On a previous occasion, the Attorney General gave an undertaking to the Supreme Court that Harin Fernando would not be arrested regarding this incident.  

In his petition, Harin Fernando further sought an order preventing police from taking any steps to detain him in custody under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) in connection with the Easter Sunday attacks.  
Fernando stated he has been questioned in respect of a comment he made at a press conference on April 21, 2019.  

He said the motive behind the statement he made was to alert the public to the fact that though the authorities appeared to be unaware of the attack, his father who was of advanced age and who was seriously ill and hospitalized in the ICU had information of the attack.