Journalist’s Laptop - Court directs CID to obtain report from Govt Analyst

The Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne today directed the CID to obtain a report from the Government Analyst on the laptop belonging to journalist Darisha Bastains.

The laptop is currently in the custody of the CID in connection with the investigation into the alleged abduction of the Swiss Embassy staffer.

The CID informed Court that the laptop was seized on June 9 based on a search warrant issued by Court and that it was in the possession of Ms. Bastian's father-in-law, a resident of Polhengoda, Narahenpita.

Attorney-at-Law Shiras Noordeen, who appeared for Ms. Bastians said, despite the CID claiming the laptop was seized on June 9, it was in fact taken into police custody on June 4, long before the search warrant was issued.

He said there was a possibility of the laptop data being changed and requested Court to take such a possibility into consideration.

The Magistrate directed the Government Analyst to probe whether the laptop had been tampered with between June 4 and June 10 and directed that notice be issued on Ms. Bastians father-in-law Upali Indragupta to be present in Court on the next hearing date to clarify what happened during the seizure of the laptop.

Magistrate directed the CID to submit a progress report on the investigation on July 21. (T. Farook Thajudeen and Yoshitha Perera)