The Court of Appeal yesterday (08) issued notices on newly-appointed State Minister for Water Supply Sanath Nishantha (Puttalam District/SLPP) to appear in court on 13 Sept., in respect of two contempt of court cases filed by lawyers.Lawyers Vijitha Kumara and Priyalal Sirisena moved the Court of Appeal close on the heels of President Ranil Wickremesinghe pardoning ex-SJB MP Ranjan Ramanayake serving four year RI also over contempt of court.
The Court of Appeal two-judge-bench comprised Justice Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne and Justice R. Gurusinghe.Petitioners have alleged that Nishantha has been named as a suspect in a case before Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court for attacking Galle Face protesters on 09 May and the investigations are being carried out by the CID.
In late August, MP Nishantha made statements defamatory of the judiciary when he addressed the media at SLPP headquarters, they submitted.They alleged the remarks made by MP Sanath Nishantha were meant to undermine the authority of the judiciary, the petitioners have argued, seeking punitive action against Nishantha for committing the offence of contempt of court.