The Colombo Permanent High Court-at-Bar today re-issued an arrest warrant on the Secretary of the Presidential Commission appointed to investigate alleged incidents of political victimization, Pearl K. Weerasinghe.

The three-member judge bench ordered police to arrest the Secretary of the commission before March 12 and produced her before the court and warned that the Acting IGP will have to personally appear before the court and show cause if they fail to do so.

The arrest warrant was re-issued today when the when the case filed against ‘Ali Roshan’ and seven others over the alleged illegal possession of five elephants was taken up for hearing.

Chair of the bench Justice Vikum Kaluarachchci declared that it is a grave issue that the police are unable to arrest a public official and questioned as to how the Police Chief prevents serious crimes and terrorism when they are unable to even arrest a state official.

The court had initially issued the warrant on march 06 for police to arrest and produce her before the court, for ignoring the notice issued by the same court ordering her to appear before it on that date while the court also barred her from leaving the country.

The court issued this order when the case filed against Samarappulige Niraj Roshan alias ‘Ali Roshan’ and seven others over the alleged illegal possession of five elephants, was taken up for hearing.

The Attorney General had filed 27 charges against ‘Ali Roshan’ and six other defendants under the Offences against Public Property Act, with regard to the possession of five elephants without licenses and racketeering.

Based on a complaint filed by the defendants of this case, the Presidential Commission of Inquiry appointed to probe alleged incidents of political victimization had commenced an investigation into this case and had taken the relevant documents into its custody.

However, the Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar had issued notice on the Secretary to the commission to present the documents before the court.

The Secretary to the commission had reportedly failed to appear before the court last week while the judge bench deemed this contempt of court and issued a warrant for her arrest.