The Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar in Colombo today (06) issued arrest warrant on Pearl K. Weerasinghe, the Secretary of the Presidential Commission appointed to investigate alleged incidents of political victimization.

The judge-bench comprising  Justices Vikum Kaluarachchi, Dhammika Ganepola and Aditya Patabendige issued the warrant for police to immediately arrest and produce her before the court, for ignoring the notice issued by the same court ordering her to appear before it.

The court also barred her from leaving the country, Ada Derana reporter said.

The court issued this order when the case filed against Samarappulige Niraj Roshan alias ‘Ali Roshan’ and seven others over the alleged illegal possession of five elephants, was taken up for hearing today (6).

The Attorney General had then filed 27 charges against ‘Ali Roshan’ and six other defendants under the Offences against Public Property Act, with regard to the possession of five elephants without licenses and racketeering.

Based on a complaint filed by the defendants of this case, the Presidential Commission of Inquiry appointed to probe alleged incidents of political victimization had commenced an investigation into this case and had taken the relevant documents into its custody.

However, the Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar had issued notice on the Secretary to the commission to present the documents before the court.

The Secretary to the commission had reportedly failed to appear before the court today while the judge bench deemed this contempt of court and issued a warrant for her arrest.