• The High Court decided to fix the case for January 21 
• Parliamentarian Ranawaka was not present before Court, but was represented by an Attorney

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda   

The Colombo High Court yesterday ordered the Colombo Chief Judicial Medical Officer to submit a report regarding the health condition of former Megapolis and Western Province Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka.

High Court Judge Damith Thotawatta made this order when the Rajagiriya motor accident case filed against Champika Ranawaka was taken up for hearing.  
However, Parliamentarian Ranawaka was not present before Court, but was represented by an Attorney.  

President’s Counsel Anuja Premaratne appearing for the former Minister informed court that his client is currently receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo and gave an undertaking to submit relevant medical reports to that effect.   

Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Pieris appearing for the Attorney General sought an order directing the Colombo Chief Judicial Medical Officer to examine the health condition of the accused.  

Taking into consideration the facts, the High Court decided to fix the case for January 21.  

The Colombo High Court had earlier rejected the preliminary objections raised by Patali Champika regarding the maintainability of the indictments filed over the alleged motor accident that took place in 2016 at Rajagiriya.   

Subsequently, Ranawaka filed a revision application challenging the Colombo High Court’s decision to reject his preliminary objections.  

The indictment comprising 16 charges had been filed against MP Patali Champika, his driver Thusith Dilum Kumara and former officer-in- Charge (OIC) of the Welikada Police Station Sudath Asmadala on charges of fabricating false evidence, a conspiracy of fabricating evidence and submitting false reports to the Court.   

The main charge is relating to conspiring and fabricating false evidence to claim that it was Dilum Thusith Kumara who was driving the vehicle which caused the accident and another charge relates to him allegedly conspiring to conceal evidence to protect MP Patali Champika from legal penalty.  

The first indictment was filed against former MP Patali Champika on charges of causing grievous injury to a youth named Sandeep Sampath while recklessly driving a vehicle.  

• Ranawaka filed a revision application challenging the Colombo High Court’s decision to reject his preliminary objections