Daily NEWS Srilanka

Basil Rajapaksa and his confidantes too were afflicted with

As the Kaduwela Magistrate was informed that the condition of health of former Minister inclusive of his other three comrades were not of a sound condition, the magistrate consented to direct them to the prison's hospital. As such, they would be stationed in a room with security and with good comfort for 12 days.

In the process, what the attorney-at-law who appeared on behalf of Basil Rajapaksa requested was that Basil Rajapaksa has the necessity to appear in parliament during this period. The magistrate who said that there is no obstruction for it, the prison officers were instructed that Basil be taken to parliament during his imprisonment and to be escorted back.

The reason for Basil being imprisoned was that million 2100 of the Rs. million 60000 approved by parliament for the Divi Neguma Project was deposited in accounts belonging to them and thus has beyond doubt indulged in cheating. It is said that they were unable to furnish any documents in their possession to explain what happened to that money. The allegations are complaints aimed at the three of them which come under the Public Property Act and they had been unable to prove that they had printed 50 calendars from a private printing press illegally from the balance money, thus being unable to reveal that another financial fraud was a case of cheating, it is understood. Allegations against them were forwarded under case numbers 9551, 9557 and 9576 by the police.

Though news was broadcast that Basil was taken into custody at 5 in the evening, it was at about 8.30 in the night that he came out from the place where police inquiries were taking place. Factors that contributed to this delay were described in different ways according to certain unofficial sources of information. As such, what was reported was that Basil refused to accept the guilt and had further tried to make a commotion there by saying that he is a sick person. However, after being explained matters that one should agree to the law irrespective of position, he had been taken out, the news revealed.

The Kaduwela Magistrate has had to remain there until Basil turned up at 9.30 last night. It was learned that at the moment Basil was to be produced in courts, a large number of supporters of Gampaha Prasanna Ranatunga had assembled in front of Kaduwela Courts. The supporters had shouted out that this legal procedure was at fault and to refrain from coming to a decision which harasses Basil.  It was something of special interest to note that Prasanna Ranatunga, Sarath Manamendra and Member of Parliament, Namal Rajapaksa had come to see 'Loku thaththa'.

While next 27th Basil when Basil would be coming to parliament on which day the 19th Amendment too would be taken in for debate, it is doubtful as to whether protests would be organised in parliament. In the meantime the former President's other brother Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has been summoned to the Bribery Commission and it has been reported that Udaya Gammanpillai's clan had stationed themselves near the Commission from morning itself to display their protest.