Piumi Hansamali will not be arrested until September 20

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda 

The Attorney General yesterday gave an  undertaking before the Court of Appeal that Sri Lankan model Piumi  Hansamali will not be arrested until her writ petition is taken up for  support on September 20.

Piumi Hansamali had filed a writ petition in  the Court of Appeal challenging the legality of the investigations  conducted by the CID’s Illegal Assets Investigations Division regarding  the alleged suspicious acquisition of property.

Deputy Solicitor  General Shanil Kularatne, appearing for the Attorney General, informed  the court that there is no necessity to arrest the petitioner until the  matter is supported on the next date. However, this undertaking would  not affect the ongoing CID investigations.

When this application was  called before Court of Appeal Justice Sobhitha Rajakaruna, Deputy  Solicitor General Shanil Kularatne sought a further date, citing that  notices on respondents were received last Friday and further time is  required to prepare for the petition. 

President’s Counsel Ronald Perera appeared for petitioner Piumi Hansamali.

Through  her petition, Piumi Hansamali is seeking an order suspending the  ongoing investigations into her asset acquisition being conducted by the Illegal Assets Investigations Division of the CID.

The petitioner has  named IGP, the CID Director, the Director of CID’s Illegal Assets  Investigations Division and several others as respondents in the  petition.

The CID had commenced an investigation regarding a  complaint that Hansamali has acquired substantial properties through  organised crime.