The Supreme Court today (22) ordered to move the Fundamental Rights (FR) petition filed by Dr. Mohamed Shafi, seeking an order declaring his arrest and detention unlawful, to the 6th of August.

The three-judge bench consisting of Supreme Court Justices Buwaneka Aluwihare, L.T.B. Dehideniya and Preethi Padman Surasena ordered to move the petition as the respondents of the petition have not properly received the notices issued to them.

Deputy Solicitor General Thusith Mudalige, speaking on behalf of the Attorney General’s Department, stated that the respondents of the petition have not received the notices issued to them and requested the court to set a date to consider the petition after reissuing notices to the respondents.

Accordingly, the Supreme Court judge bench ordered PC Faisz Musthapha to reissue notices to the respondents and declared that the petition would be taken up again on August 6th.

Dr. Shafi alleges that the police had arrested him without any justifiable reason after claims were rife on social media accusing him of performing illegal sterilization surgeries on over 4,000 Sinhalese Buddhist women.

In his FR petition, Dr. Shafi points out that the CID is detaining him to date under the orders obtained from the Defence Secretary.

Accordingly, Dr. Mohamed Shafi claims arresting and detaining him without any justifiable reason is unlawful and that his fundamental rights were violated as a result.

He seeks the Supreme Court to deliver an interim order revoking the detention orders issued by the Defence Secretary under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).