Ven. Uduwe Dhammaloka Thero granted bail

Venerable Uduwe Dhammaloka Thero, who was arrested and subsequently remanded for the alleged illegal possession of an elephant calf, has been granted bail by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court. 

Colombo Additional Magistrate Nishantha Peiris ordered that he be released on three personal bails of Rs 3 million each after lawyers presented a motion seeking bail on the basis that the prominent Buddhist monk wishes to pay his final respects to the Chief Prelate of the Asgiriya Chapter of the Siam Sect, Most Venerable Galagama Sri Aththadassi Thero. 

The thero was arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) on Wednesday (9) for allegedly possessing a baby elephant without a valid license and remanded till March 17 after being produced before Colombo Additional Magistrate Nishantha Peiris.

However, a bail application submitted by attorneys representing defendant was taken up for consideration at the court today.

Ven. Dhammaloka Thero of Alan Mathiniyaramaya Temple in Polhengoda has categorically denied allegations leveled against him with regard to the two and half year-old elephant calf found kept inside the temple premises and has maintained that the elephant had been abandoned at the temple following a pageant held in 2014.