The Court of Appeal has issued an open warrant to arrest Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, the Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena organisation, who is serving a prison sentence in connection with a contempt of court conviction and produce him in court. 

The Appeals Court also imposed a travel ban preventing Gnanasara Thera from leaving the country and ordered that the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration be informed of the restriction.

According to the court order, the open warrant is to be enforced through the Inspector General of Police.

The Appeals Court order follows an arrest warrant issued by the Colombo High Court yesterday (September 30), directing that Gnanasara Thera be arrested and produced before court in connection with allegations that he made statements insulting Islam.

The case was taken up before Colombo High Court Judge Buddhika C. Ragala. Gnanasara Thera was not present when the case was called.

A medical report was submitted stating that Thera was unwell, while his sureties also failed to appear before court. His counsel, Asoka Weerasuriya, told court that his client wished to bring the case to an early conclusion and that representations had been made to the Attorney General in this regard.

However, after considering the submissions, the High Court judge said he was not satisfied with the medical report submitted on behalf of the accused. The court also noted the failure of the sureties to appear.

The judge subsequently ordered that an arrest warrant be issued and that Gnanasara Thera be arrested and produced before court.

The Attorney General filed the case under provisions of the Penal Code, alleging that remarks made by Gnanasara Thera concerning the Holy Quran amounted to an insult to Islam.