The Permanent High Court at Bar today (03) granted permission to former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa to travel overseas for a medical checkup from 9th to 12th of October, says Ada Derana reporter.

The case against the former Defence Secretary, filed by the Attorney General, for allegedly misappropriating state funds amounting to Rs 33.9 million during the construction of the D.A. Rajapaksa Museum and Memorial in Medamulana, was taken up before Special High Court’s bench consisting of Judges Sampath Abeykoon, Sampath Wijeratne and Champa Janaki Rajaratne this morning.

On Tuesday (01), President’s Counsel Ali Sabry on behalf of Gotabaya Rajapaksa had requested the court to release his client’s passport as he is due to travel overseas for a medical examination and for handing over nominations for the upcoming presidential election.

He had also said his client, who underwent cardiac surgery in Singapore, is due to travel overseas from October 9 to 12 for a medical examination related to his surgery.

Accordingly, PC Sabry had requested the court to release the passport which is currently held under the custody of courts and to lift the travel ban imposed on him.

When the case was taken up today, Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris, on behalf of the Attorney General, said that he has no objections against the request made by the defence.

The three-judge bench hence ordered to temporarily lift the travel ban imposed on the former Defence Secretary and to inform this decision to the Controller General of the Department of Immigration and Emigration.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa was ordered to return his passport to the custody of the judiciary upon his return to Sri Lanka on the 12th of October.