In Sri Lanka, arrest warrant has been issued against a former minister while another got bail after his arrest last week. Colombo Additional Magistrate today issued a warrant to arrest the former Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne over the controversial white van media briefing he had called before Presidential elections last month. The arrest warrant was issued after submissions by Attorney General Office saying that the former Minister has committed an offence under the provisions of Penal Code. The minister is charged of arranging press conference involving two persons who claimed to have been involved in purported incidents of certain abductions, assassinations, robberies and forced disappearances during the administration of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The two were arrested after the elections and are in remand custody. Meanwhile, former Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka has been granted bail by the Court in an accident case. Court ordered him to report to police once a month and also ordered him to refrain from influencing the witnesses. The opposition led by United National party (UNP) has accused the new government under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa of witch-hunt against his political opponents.