MP Rishad Bathiudeen granted bail

Former Minister and Wanni district parliamentarian Rishad Bathiudeen, who was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and remanded for over six months in connection with a case related to the Easter Sunday attack, has been granted bail today.

Colombo Fort Magistrate Priyantha Liyanage released Rishad Bathiudeen on two sureties of Rs. 5 million each when the Magistrate’s Inquiry into the case was called back to court today (14).

The CID arrested MP Bathiudeen on 24 April 2021 and had obtained court permission to detain and question under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) on charges of aiding and abetting the Easter Sunday attackers.

Opposition parliamentarians including former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe raised the issue of Bathiudeen’s continued detention in parliament last week and requested the Speaker to inform the House if there are any evidence to justify the allegations against the MP.