CDs recovered from Anuradhapura journalist do not contain NTJ sermons

By Upali Ananda  

The journalist who was arrested on suspicion over the possession of 326 CDS alleged as having contained sermons and other publicity material of the National Thowheed Jamath organization was ordered to be released on two surety bails of Rs 200,000 each by the Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate and Additional Distract Judge Janaka Prasanna Samarasinghe on Monday.  

The suspect identified as Mohamed Rizvi Maharoof a journalist residing at Udaya Mawatha Anuradhapura was further ordered to be present in courts on September 23rd, the next day of hearing.  

The Anuradhapura headquarter police initially producing the suspect under the PTA had submitted to courts the complaint, but however on Monday at the hearing the police submitting a further report stated that they were withdrawing the earlier complaint against the suspect made under the PTA.  

The police stated that they had not found anything coming under the purview of the PTA and contents in the CDS taken into custody from the possession of the suspect. They stated that they did not find any content of sermons or publicity material relating to the National Thowheed Jamath Organization.  

Producing the suspect journalist in courts at the first instance, the Anuradhapura police had stated that in a joint search operation conducted with the Army, the Anuradhapura police had searched a house at Udaya Mawatha Anuradhapura belonging to the suspect and a stock of CDS containing sermons and other publicity material of the NTJ were taken into custody. Representing the suspect Senior Attorney Ranjith Rajakaruna submitted to courts that these CDS do not contain any suspicious material as contended by the police. The prosecution was conducted by the OIC of Anuradhapura headquarter police station court affairs H. M Yasarathne and a team of police officers.  

The suspect was represented by Senior Attorneys Ranjith Rajakaruna, Chandana Weerakoon, Rohana Premalal and Susil Siriwardene.  
Investigations were conducted by DIG of North Central Province Senarath Sandungahawatte and a police team.