Sunday, February 19, 2012

Appeal for bail by parents of remanded undergrads


The parents of the three undergraduates who were remanded by the Kandy Chief Magistrate under the anti-ragging Act, have filed three bail applications to Kandy High Court Judge Manilal Waidyatilleke who has now issued notice on the Criminal Investigation Department.
Atorney-at-Law Sudath Karavita who submitted the application for bail on behalf of the parents said that the three undergraduates were three out of twenty five undergraduates who were charged before the Kandy Chief Magistrate's Court under the anti-ragging act. He submitted to Court that twenty two undergraduates are out on bail and only three of the undergraduates were remanded by the Magistrate. He also submitted to Court that after the undergraduates were remanded, the Magistrate has no provision to bail these remanded undergraduates and therefore the parents are seeking the indulgence of the Court to grant bail, since they are now nearly a month in remand.
Atorrney Karavita also submitted that Peradeniya Police who initially investigated the incident had selected only seven undergraduates be summoned to Court, but after the Criminal Investigation Department took over the investigations, twenty five were produced before Court. He also submitted to Court that the alleged charges that they had unnatural sexual offences committed on fresher undergraduates, were made after one month after the alleged incident.
After these submissions by the Attorney, the High Court Judge ordered the issue of notices on the respondents. The parents of the three undergraduates who made the bail application were in Court.
The case was postponed for March 13.