Colombo Magistrate’s Court has rejected the anticipatory bail application filed by former Director of Swarnamahal Financial Services PLC Deepa Edrisinghe, citing a typo.

The anticipatory bail applications filed by three other Swarnamahal Financial Services – Nalaka, Jeewaka and Asanka Edirisinghe – were meanwhile scheduled to be taken up for consideration on the 27th of January.

Further, Colombo Chief Magistrate Mohamed Mihal issued notices to the OIC of the Criminal Investigation Department who was named as the respondent of the anticipatory bail applications.

When the matter was called today, the chief magistrate announced that he has the jurisdiction to hear the anticipatory bail applications filed by the former directors of Swarnamahal Financial Services yesterday to prevent their arrest.

The suspects were arrested on the 08th of January, however, the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court released them seven days later.

The Attorney General had directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to conduct a criminal investigation against the Directors of the ETI Finance and Swarnamahal Jewellers Ltd. over their involvement in operating an unauthorized finance business.

Investigations are being carried out over the unauthorized acceptance of deposits worth Rs 13.7 billion, misappropriation, and money laundering.