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Hirunika finally arrested but released on bail
View(s):Colombo District UNP MP Hirunika Premachandra charged for aiding and abetting the abduction of a youth in Dematagoda, wrongful confinement and intimidation of the youth was arrested and produced before a magistrate yesterday ending nearly weeks of wrangling by the Police on taking action against her.
Ms. Premachandra was arrested at her Havelock Town apartment by a team of police officials from the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) who were investigating the abduction of the youth by her personal staff on December 21. The Attorney General gave his approval to arrest the MP on Thursday.
The MP was driven in a Police jeep to the CCD office at Dematagoda before her statement was recorded and was produced before Additional Magistrate Mohamed Mihail at Hulftsdorp. She was granted bail of Rs 200,000 each of two sureties and ordered to appear in court next Tuesday.
Her lawyer Gunaratna Wanninayake said that his client was fully cooperating with the investigations and provided statements required by the CCD earlier. Her arrest came after the Attorney General’s Department sanctioned the arrest.
The Police had sought an opinion regarding the further investigations about the MP. Earlier in the week eight of her personal staff were granted bail over the alleged abduction of the youth from a textile shop and taken to Ms. Premachandra’s office in Kolonnawa. The MP’s vehicle had been used for the alleged abduction.
The MP later claimed that she intervened only to resolve a family dispute and was not involved in ordering the alleged abduction.