Udaya Gammanpila
Leader, Pivithuru Hela Urumaya · Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU)
5
Legal matters
2
Investigations
0
Charges pending
2
Acquitted / dismissed
Next in court
Not publicly confirmed
Udaya Gammanpila is under investigation.
Police are investigating Gammanpila’s public claim concerning the removal of Gnanasara Thera’s robes at prison. Reports say police intend to record a statement from Gammanpila; no charge is reported.
The full running account, event by event, is in the Timeline and Court Cases tabs below.
Udaya Gammanpila legal timeline
Next Step Pending
Latest located status was no arrest decision as of Sep 2025.
Court: Colombo Magistrate's Court
Sources (2)
- 23 October 20262026 satyagraha contempt referral
Hearing
Afternoon date fixed for lawyers for the named parties to make submissions to the three-judge Court of Appeal bench.
Court: Court of Appeal
Sources (1)
- 15 October 20262026 satyagraha contempt referral
Hearing
Morning mention before the three-judge Court of Appeal bench to review progress on providing the documents and information requested by the named parties' lawyers.
Court: Court of Appeal
Sources (1)
- 13 October 2026Police inquiry into claim about removal …
Questioned
Reports said police would investigate Gammanpila’s public claim about the removal of Gnanasara Thera’s robes and record a statement from him. They do not say the statement had already been taken.
Court: Police (not a court)
Added automatically from a newswire report on 14 October 2026 · not yet reviewed by an editor
Sources (2)
- 7 October 20262026 satyagraha contempt referral
Hearing
The three-judge Court of Appeal bench (Justices Rohantha Abeysuriya (Court of Appeal President), Chamath Morais and Adithya Patabendige) took up the contempt complaint referred by the Colombo Fort Magistrate and directed the Court Registrar to take the necessary steps to provide the documents and information requested by lawyers for the named parties. No finding of contempt has been made.
Court: Court of Appeal
Sources (2)
- 29 September 2026Australian share and power of attorney f…
Acquitted
Colombo High Court Judge Nadee Aparna Suwandurugoda acquitted and released Udaya Gammanpila of criminal breach of trust involving about Rs. 21 million, over the alleged sale of shares belonging to Australian businessman Brian Shaddick using an allegedly forged power of attorney, holding that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt. No appeal has been reported.
Court: Colombo High Court
Sources (3)
- 18 September 2026Australian share and power of attorney f…
Hearing
Reporting had scheduled the matter for 18 September 2026, but the current dataset does not establish the outcome of that date.
Court: Colombo High Court
Sources (1)
- 14 September 20262026 satyagraha contempt referral
Hearing
The Court of Appeal appointed a three-judge bench - Justices Rohantha Abeysuriya (Court of Appeal President), Chamath Morais, and Adithya Patabendige - to hear the contempt complaint. No contempt finding has been made by the Court of Appeal.
Court: Court of Appeal
Sources (1)
- 8 September 20262026 satyagraha contempt referral
Hearing
Court of Appeal (Justice Rohantha Abeysooriya and Justice Priyantha Fernando) took up the contempt complaint on 8 Sep 2026 and ordered its Registrar to take the necessary further procedural steps. No finding of contempt has been made.
Court: Court of Appeal
Sources (1)
- 5 August 20262026 satyagraha contempt referral
Hearing
The Colombo Fort Magistrate formed the view that Wimal Weerawansa, Udaya Gammanpila and four others may have committed contempt of court over statements linked to a July 2026 satyagraha protest against the arrest of former State Intelligence Service Director Suresh Sallay, and referred the matter to the Court of Appeal under the Contempt of a Court, Tribunal or Institution Act No. 8 of 2024.
Read more (1 more paragraph)Show less
No sentence or penalty was imposed at this stage; the referral is what places the matter before the Court of Appeal.
Court: Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court
Sources (2)
Udaya Gammanpila court cases
5
Cases Total
2
Under Investigation
2
Acquitted
Rs. 21 million Australian share fraud case
Fraud prosecution involving an alleged Rs. 21 million share transaction connected to an Australian national. He was acquitted by the Colombo High Court on 24 Mar 2025.
What’s happened
Acquitted after trial.
- Court
- Colombo High Court
- Next hearing / due
- No upcoming hearing announced
Sources (2)
2025 media statement CID investigation
CID investigation reported in 2025 concerning a media statement; police told court that no decision had yet been made to arrest him.
What’s happened
Latest located status was no arrest decision as of Sep 2025.
- Court
- Colombo Magistrate's Court
- Next hearing / due
- Next hearing not confirmed
Sources (2)
Australian share and power of attorney fraud case
Separate share/fraud prosecution involving alleged criminal breach of trust/misappropriation and alleged use of a forged power of attorney relating to an Australian national.
What’s happened
Acquitted by the Colombo High Court on 29 September 2026 after trial; no appeal reported.
- Court
- Colombo High Court
- Next hearing / due
- No upcoming hearing announced
2026 satyagraha contempt referral
Court of Appeal contempt-related referral arising from statements allegedly made concerning the judicial process during a July 2026 satyagraha.
What’s happened
Court of Appeal (Justice Rohantha Abeysooriya and Justice Priyantha Fernando) took up the contempt complaint (reported 14 Sep 2026) and ordered its Registrar to take the necessary further procedural steps. No finding of contempt has been made. A three-judge Court of Appeal bench (Justices Rohantha Abeysuriya, Chamath Morais, and Adithya Patabendige) was appointed on 14 Sep 2026 to hear the complaint.
Dilith Jayaweera's related writ petition, which challenges the same underlying Fort Magistrate referral, was listed for support on 18 Sep 2026 and the Court of Appeal reserved its order for 30 September 2026 (dilith-jayaweera-contempt-referral) - that writ petition was dismissed in limine on 30 Sep 2026 and the joint referral itself remained pending before the Court of Appeal.
Read the full account (1 more paragraph)Show less
On 7 Oct 2026 the three-judge bench took up the complaint again, directed the Registrar to provide the documents and information requested by the named parties' lawyers, and fixed it for a morning mention on 15 Oct 2026 (progress on those documents), with lawyers for the named parties to make submissions on the afternoon of 23 Oct 2026. No finding of contempt has been made.
- Court
- Court of Appeal
- Next hearing / due
- Next hearing not confirmed
Police inquiry into claim about removal of Gnanasara Thera’s robes
Police are investigating Gammanpila’s public claim concerning the removal of Gnanasara Thera’s robes at prison. Reports say police intend to record a statement from Gammanpila; no charge is reported.
What’s happened
The inquiry concerns Gammanpila’s public allegation. Police are reported to plan to record his statement. The Prisons Department separately denied his allegations.
- Court
- Police (not a court)
- Next hearing / due
- No upcoming hearing announced
Sources (3)
Udaya Gammanpila in the news
In the news
Stories in the news feed that name Udaya Gammanpila, with every outlet’s report of each grouped together. These are other outlets’ reports; what they say is not Nadu’s verified record.
No stories naming Udaya Gammanpila in the news right now. New reports appear here as outlets publish them.
Udaya Gammanpila political career
Ministerial positions
Minister of Energy
2020–2022
Leader, Pivithuru Hela Urumaya
Dates not publicly confirmed
Other political positions
Member of Parliament
2015–2020
Member of Parliament
2020–2024
Udaya Gammanpila party history
Sources (1)
No verified departure from PHU was located. The 2020 SLPP parliamentary label should not create a false PHU exit and re-entry.