The Mannar Magistrate’s Court today issued summons on Minister Rishard Bathiudeen to appear before court on August 27 for allegedly threatening a judge.
The Minister of Industry and Commerce is accused of threatening a magistrate in Mannar to change an arrest order while a mob had stoned the Mannar court house on July 18, forcing police to fire tear gas to disperse angry mobs.
The summons was issued by Judge R.A.S. Dissanayake, after considering a plea by the judge who was allgedlt threatened.
Meanwhile the Court of Appeals had ordered Minister Bathiudeen to personally appear in court on September 5 to answer the charges of intimidating the Mannar Magistrate.
Courts across the country were paralysed on July 20 as judges and lawyers staged a boycott to protest the alleged political interference with the judiciary.
Minister Bathiudeen however has denied the allegation.
