Colombo court releases Tamil journalist

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 August 2005, 10:34 GMT]
Mr.Sarath Karunaratne, Fort Magistrate Wednesday afternoon allowed an application by the Fort Police to arrest those who had assaulted Mr.Yathurshan Premachchandran, a trainee journalist of Colombo Tamil daily Sudar Oli when he was engaged in covering the demonstration held by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Tuesday afternoon in front of the Colombo Fort Railway Station, legal sources said.

The court thereafter ordered the release of Mr.Yathurshan Premachchandran on bail, legal sources said.

The Fort Police Wednesday afternoon produced Mr.Yathurshan Premachchandran in Fort Magistrate's Court.

The prosecuting police officer told court that the policemen at the scene of incident took Mr.Yathurshan Premachchandran into custody to rescue him from a group of persons who were attacking him.

The prosecution further submitted to court that there was no evidence against Mr.Yathurshan Premachchandran to implicate him with any offence.

Hence police did not object him being released on bail, legal sources said.

The Magistrate put off the further inquiry in this matter for September 23 when the police submitted to court that they needed time to conduct investigation into the assault and to apprehend the suspects who had assaulted the journalist, legal sources said.

Counsel Mr.S. Nanayakkara appeared for the journalist, legal sources said.