The writ petition filed by leader of the Sarvajana Balaya, MP Dilith Jayaweera, challenging a reference made by the Colombo Fort Magistrate after it concluded that a statement made by MP Jayaweera during a television interview appeared, on the face of it, to amount to contempt of court, was taken up before the Appeals Court today (10).

The petition was taken up before a two-judge bench comprising Court of Appeal President Justice Rohantha Abeysooriya and Justice Priyantha Fernando.

Appearing for MP Jayaweera, President’s Counsel Ali Sabry argued that the Magistrate’s reference had been made on the basis of incomplete information submitted by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

He further alleged that the CID had deliberately presented the information to the Magistrate in a manner that created the wrong impression that the petitioner had insulted the court, by quoting only parts of the televised discussion in question.

He told the Court that MP Dilith Jayaweera had merely criticized the conduct of the CID during the television interview and that he had no intention of insulting or showing contempt for the judiciary.

President’s Counsel Sabry further submitted that this was evident from the other portions of the interview, which had not been presented to the Magistrate by the CID.

The Appeals Court was also informed that a related case concerning the incident is scheduled to be taken up on September 14.

Accordingly, the President of the Court of Appeal directed that the further hearing of MP Jayaweera’s writ petition also be taken up on the same date.