Former Director of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Shani Abeysekara and former Sub Inspector of CID Sugath Mendis have been released after fulfilling their strict bail conditions.

The Court of Appeal, yesterday (June 16), ordered for the duo to be released on a cash bail of Rs 25,000 and two personal bonds worth Rs 1 million each.

In addition, a foreign travel ban was imposed on the suspects while ordering them to inform the court in case of a change in residing address.

Accordingly, two siblings of Abeysekera and the wife and son of Mendis fulfilled the relevant bail conditions today (June 17).

Thereby, the Gampaha Court directed the Superintendent of Welikada Prison to release Shani Abeysekera and the Superintendent of Mahara Prison to release Sugath Mendis.

Abeysekera and Mendis remained under remand custody for nearly 10 months as per the order of the Gampaha Magistrate over the alleged fabrication of evidence for a case filed against former DIG Vass Gunawardena and several others.

The duo filed a revision petition at the Gampaha High Court seeking to be released on bail. However, Gampaha High Court, which heard the petition, rejected the request of the two defendants including Shani Abeysekera to be released on bail.

Subsequently, the defendants filed a petition in the Court of Appeal seeking reversal of the Gampaha High Court’s decision and their release on bail.