The magistrate allowed cash bail of Rs 25000 each, with two surety bails of Rs 500,000 each, separately. Each suspect was ordered to produce two sureties who should present themselves in open court and should be residents of the Anuradhapura jurisdiction area.

The judge decreed further that the suspects should report every Sunday to the CID of the Anuradhapura police headquarters, and that they should be present in courts on 06th September at the next hearing. The judge reprimanded the suspects to refrain from interfering with the witnesses.

The Anuradhapura division CID leading the prosecution informed courts that investigations regarding this matter had been completed. The Attorney representing the victim NCP Ayurveda Commissioner Kumara Alwis informed they would not object to courts allowing bail to the suspects on strict conditions. As the victim had not regained proper vision in his eyes, the earlier direction issued by courts to call him for an identification parade was annulled.

The incident on the Ayurvedic commissioner on 22nd February had made him sustain severe injuries to his eyes and chest and the victim has now lost his vision in both his eyes according to the Specialist eye surgeon Dr Charith Fonseka who had recommended that the victim be sent to a hospital in Singapore, at least to gain sight in one eye.

All suspects in this case were apprehended within ten days of the crime by a police team led by the OIC of Anuradhapura, Inspector R M Ratnayake. The prosecution was led by the Senior DIG of NCP Ravi Wijegunawardene, Anuradhapura DIG Ranjith Padmasiri and a police team.

Source: Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka