Army Officer gets bail in case on complaint by Wildlife officers

A senior military officer was granted bail after he was produced in courts for obstructing the duties of Wildlife Officers at the Minneriya National Park and making death threats and assaulting one of the officers.

Major General Mohan Ratnayake allegedly involved in the incident was granted bail of two sureties of  Rs. 500,000 each.

The officer surrendered to the Habarana Police and thereafter was produced in courts.

On Wednesday the Habarana Police presented facts to the courts.

The Officer in Charge of the Minneriya National Park Bhathiya Madugalle and Wildlife Reserve Officer M. W. K. Wasala had filed two complaints while the army filed a counter complaint.

The Kekirawa District Judge and Magistrate Saman Weraniyagoda questioned the Police as to why the suspects were not arrested if they have been identified and details of their vehicles have been revealed.

The Habarana Police told courts that Major General Mohan Rathnayake too had filed a complaint against the wildlife officers claiming that the wildlife officers had brought disrepute to his name by subjecting him to search.

The wildlife officers in their complaint claimed that they had been on the alert that night as they were tipped off about an attempt to steal an elephant calf from the park.

The case was fixed for February 22, next year.