Former Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne has been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) a short while ago.

On 24th December, the Colombo Additional Magistrate issued a warrant to arrest the former Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne over the controversial “white van” media briefing he had called last month.

However, officials of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) were not able to arrest the former Health Minister despite arriving at both his residences in Colombo and Beruwala yesterday (26). It was then reported that Senaratne was admitted to the cardiovascular intensive care unit (CICU) of Lanka Hospitals in Narahenpita.

The two individuals, who” identified themselves as “while van” drivers during this press conference led by the former Minister, were produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court this morning. They were further remanded until January 06.

The parliamentarian had previously lodged two anticipatory bail applications with the Colombo Chief Magistrate, seeking the prevention of his arrest. The court had rejected the initial bail application and the second one was fixed to be taken up for hearing on the 30th of December.

In the meantime, lawyers representing the parliamentarian yesterday (26) filed a motion before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court this morning (26) to submit explanations for the recall of the arrest warrant on the MP, only to withdraw it later.