The Superintendent of the Anuradhapura Prison, who was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and subsequently remanded over allegations of unlawfully releasing an inmate of the Anuradhapura Prison under the presidential pardon for Vesak Poya, has been further remanded until June 23, Ada Derana reporter said.

The order has been issued by the Anuradhapura Magistrate’s Court.

The Superintendent of the Anuradhapura Prison was arrested by the CID on June 08.

Sri Lanka Police noted that a statement was recorded from the Commissioner General of Prisons regarding the controversial release of prisoners on a Presidential Pardon for Vesak.

It was also revealed that a certain number of prisoners have been released illegally during this process.

Issuing a statement in this regard, the Police Media Division announced that a complaint was forwarded to the CID by the Presidential Secretariat on June 06.

The complaint alleged that in addition to the prisoners pardoned under the recent Vesak Poya Day amnesty program, several prisoners were unlawfully released by the prison considering them as prisoners who had been pardoned.

The CID has launched a comprehensive investigation based on the complaint and has questioned the Commissioner General of Prisons.

A statement was also recorded from him, and further documents are to be examined and additional statements are to be recorded, according to the Police Media Division.

According to the investigations conducted so far, it has been revealed that a certain number of prisoners were illegally released on Vesak Day by misusing the Presidential Pardon.

Based on facts revealed during the investigation, it has also emerged that prisoners who were not approved for release were included among those to be released under the Presidential Pardon during previous occasions as well.