MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam granted bail

MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, who was arrested over allegations of obstructing police duties, has been granted bail by the Kilinochchi Magistrate’s Court.

The Jaffna District MP, who represents the Ahila Ilankai Thamil Congress (AITC) or the All-Ceylon Tamil Congress in the parliament, was taken into custody by a team of officers attached to Maruthankerny Police at his residence in Colombo this morning (June 07) for being complicit in obstructing the duties of police officers and verbally abusing them during a recent incident in Vadamarachchi.

A video of the incident which went viral on several social media platforms showed a heated exchange of words between the MP and several officers, believed to be attached to the Jaffna Police, while Ponnambalam was engaging with area residents.

The tense situation had ensued when the police officers asked MP Ponnambalam to call off his public meeting at the Thalaiyadi playground, in consideration of the students sitting for the Ordinary Level examination at the nearby Thalaiyadi Roman Catholic Mixed School.

Meanwhile, after taking into account a request made by the police, the Kilinochchi Magistrate’s Court had yesterday issued an overseas travel ban on the parliamentarian.