The Court of Appeal today further extended its interim order staying the proceedings against DIG Tennakoon in the Fort Magistrate’s Court until May 19.
The Court of Appeal’s two-judge bench, comprising Justice (President) Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne and Justice M.A.R. Marikkar, made this order pursuant to a writ petition filed by Senior DIG Tennakoon challenging the magisterial inquiry and issuance of summons against him.
The Court of Appeal had earlier issued an interim order suspending the operation of summonses issued by the Colombo Fort Magistrate to Western Province Senior DIG Deshbandu Tennakoon.
According to this order, the Magistrate had been prevented from taking any steps, including requiring Senior DIG Tennakoon to stand in the dock.
On January 26, the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court issued a summons for Deshbandu Tennakoon to appear before it on February 16 over a criminal accusation that he had allegedly aided and abetted the commission of a criminal breach of trust with regard to Rs. 17.8 million recovered by protesters inside the President’s House on July 9.
Colombo Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage decided to name Senior DIG as an accused in a private complaint filed by activist Mahinda Jayasinghe as per the provisions of Section 136(1) (a) of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act.
Romesh de Silva, PC, instructed by Sanath Wijewardane, appeared for Deshabandu Tennakoon.
