Court of Appeal rejects Gotabaya Rajapaksa's bid for protection from arrest in Easter Sunday probe
Regarding Gotabaya Rajapaksa
What happened?
On 1 October 2026 a two-judge Court of Appeal bench rejected Rajapaksa's writ petition at the preliminary stage, without taking it up for hearing. The court declined to issue notice to the respondents or to grant interim protection. The petition, filed against the IGP and CID officers, sought an order preventing his arrest and detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act in connection with the CID investigation into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.
What changed?
The protection from arrest that Rajapaksa had asked for was not granted. No arrest or detention was reported following the order. The rejection is a procedural outcome of his own petition: it is not an arrest warrant, a charge or a finding of guilt, and allegations connecting him to the attacks remain contested and unproven.
What happens next?
No confirmed next step yet. No further date in this writ proceeding. The CID investigation into the Easter Sunday attacks continues separately.
The case
People involved
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