Notorious underworld figures ‘Harak Kata’ and ‘Kudu Salindu’ have agreed to withdraw the writ petitions filed by them seeking a court order invalidating the detention orders issued permitting for the two to be detained by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

The matter was conveyed to the Court of Appeal on Monday (11 Sep.), by President’s Counsel Nalin Ladduwahetti, when petitions filed by the duo seeking an order that the Director of the CID to ensure their safety while in CID custody was taken up before Appellate Court President Justice Nissanka Bandula Karunratne.

Meanwhile, appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, Additional Solicitor General Shanil Kularatne informed the court that a final decision pertaining to a potential extension of the relevant detention order is yet to be taken by the CID.

The relevant petition is due to be called before the court on 25 October, while the Court also ordered that all parties related to the case be made aware of details and proceedings in this regard, on the aforementioned date.

A team of officers from the CID left for Madagascar on 11 March to repatriate Sri Lankan drug kingpin Nadun Chinthaka alias ‘Harak Kata’ and his infamous accomplice Salindu Malshitha Gunaratne, alias ‘Kudu Salindu’, who were arrested while on a visit to the island off the southeastern coast of Africa. 

The CID officers later returned to Sri Lanka with the notorious drug dealers on 15 March, and obtained an order under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) to detain the duo for 90 days.