By Lakmal Sooriyagoda  

A writ petition filed by former Kegalle Senior Superintendent of Police K.B. Keerthiratne and three other police officers challenging the Kegalle Magistrate’s order to arrest them in connection with the recent Rambukkana shooting incident was yesterday re-fixed for support by Court of Appeal.  Court of Appeal two-judge-bench comprising Justice Sobhitha Rajakaruna and Justice Dhammika Ganepola re-fixed the petition for support for the interim relief on July 12.   The Court of Appeal was informed that the petitioners have already filed bail applications at Kegalle High Court seeking bail and these applications are to taken up for inquiry on July 7.  

In their writ petitions, the petitioners stated that there is no reasonable suspicion of committing a crime by the petitioners since they acted to disperse an unruly crowd. They further said that the Magistrate has misdirected herself when making an order directing the IGP to arrest the persons who are responsible for the shooting.  
The Attorney General had raised objections against the writ petition citing there is no necessity to intervene into the Magistrate’s order.