Ceylon Newspapers dishonoured-cheques investigation - writ barring arrest
Current status of the Ceylon Newspapers dishonoured-cheques investigation - writ barring arrest
A CID investigation followed a criminal complaint by newsprint supplier L.P.L. Kesara Lanka (Pvt) Ltd about post-dated cheques allegedly issued and dishonoured when Ceylon Newspapers (Pvt) Ltd bought paper. Alles and Ceylon Newspapers petitioned the Court of Appeal, naming the IGP, the CID Director and the OIC of the Commercial Crime Investigation Division as respondents. A two-judge bench (Justices Sasi Mahendran and Pradeep Hettiarachchi) issued a writ preventing the police from arresting or detaining Alles and the company's directors, representatives and employees in connection with the complaint, finding that the matter concerned a commercial transaction and that sufficient evidence of criminal wrongdoing had not been presented. The court expressly allowed investigators to continue and to take lawful action if new evidence emerges.
What’s happened
Not arrested, charged or remanded. The writ protects him from arrest in connection with this complaint only; it is not an acquittal or a finding that no offence could ever be established. Reports differ on whether the order is a final writ of prohibition (Daily Mirror, Newswire) or an interim order (Asian Mirror, Sri Lanka Mirror), and on the order date (30 Sep per Daily Mirror and the tracker; Newswire's 1 Oct report). The wording should be checked against the published judgment.
- Court
- Court of Appeal
- Next hearing / due
- Next hearing not confirmed
Sources (3)
Ceylon Newspapers dishonoured-cheques investigation - writ barring arrest timeline
- 30 September 2026
Hearing
A two-judge Court of Appeal bench issued a writ preventing police from arresting or detaining Alles and Ceylon Newspapers directors, representatives and employees over a CID complaint about dishonoured post-dated cheques to a newsprint supplier. The court found the dispute commercial in nature and the material presented insufficient to establish criminal wrongdoing, while allowing the investigation to continue.
Court: Court of Appeal
Sources (3)