30 Agriculture officers arrested

30 Agriculture officers arrested
Wednesday, December 19,2007 COLOMBO:
Over 30 Agriculture and Agrarian officers were remanded yesterday in connection with the Rs 150 million fraud that took place in the distribution of fertilizer. The Agriculture Development and Secretary to Ministry of Agrarian Services T. M. Abeywickrama said several provincial officers, research officers and distribution agents were involved in the fraud. It is reported that there are two distribution agents among those arrested. According to reports one agent is involved in selling Rs 50 million worth of fertilizer at higher prices after purchasing it at a subsidized rate.

A person cannot be remanded on terrorist label - court
[19-12-2007 5.10pm]

“A citizen of Sri Lanka has the right to move freely and engage in the profession of his/her choice. The court cannot remand a person merely because the police arrested and labeled him/her as a terrorist,” Colombo Chief Magistrate Mackey Mohamed says. He was taking up a case in which a man identified as Meera Mohideen Abdul of Samanthurai is accused of gathering information for terrorist activities.
The police may have the ability to arrest a person on terrorism charges and detain him/her, but the court cannot do that, the Chief Magistrate said.
Appearing for the suspect, lawyer Paranthaka Perera said that his client was employed in Colombo.
After considering the submissions, the court released him on two Rs. 50,000 sureties and fixed January 11th as the date for the next hearing.
This Muslim national was arrested at an army roadblock near Rupavahini Corporation in Colombo and handed over to the Cinnamon Gardens Police.