Bail refused for journalist Tissainayagam

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 August 2008, 10:53 GMT]
The Colombo High Court Monday refused bail for Sunday Times columnist J.S.Tissainayagam when he was produced in court for the first time after he had been indicted by the Attorney General on three counts under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and Emergency Regulations (ER), for printing, publishing and distributing the magazine "North Eastern Monthly" during the period from June 1, 2006 to June 1, 2007 and for making payments or collecting funds from a non-governmental organization to run the said magazine, legal sources said.

Tissainayagam accepted the indictment served on him in the open court.

Thereafter the Defense Counsel Nalin Laduwahetti made an application to court to enlarge his client Journalist Tissainayagam in bail. The Defense Counsel said in his submission that his client Tissainayagam was arrested during the first week of March this year when he went to the Terrorist Intelligence Division (TID) office to see the two suspects Jaseeharan and Valarmathi who had been working in his office and arrested by the TID on March 6.

There were no records that he had attempted to evade the investigation. All fifteen prosecution witnesses listed are police personnel and therefore there would not be any interference with the witness by the suspect.

The Counsel further brought to the notice of the court that his client has been suffering from a rare eye disease and needs regular medical treatment.

State Counsel Sudharsana de Silva objected to the bail application. He argued that the High Court has no jurisdiction to allow an accused charged under the PTA on bail.

The High Court Judge Ms Deepali Wijesundara upheld the objection by the State Counsel and refused bail for Tissainayagam. The Judge further directed the Superintendent of Prisons to produce the suspect before the Prison hospital and provide necessary treatment.

The court fixed the inquiry in the case for September 9.

Chronology:


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