Basil's illness a hoax .... revealed in courts!

Basil's illness a hoax .... revealed in courts!

Because of former Minister Basil Rajapaksa and 3 others who have been taken into custody on suspicion of a financial fraud are presently remaining at the paying ward

of the Colombo National Hospital instead of going to jail and is thus spending their time in a hospital it has resulted in various opinions circulating around in society that the law is not the same to everybody. This topic is being discussed more with the news that Salman Kahn of India is being sent to jail from tomorrow for rigorous imprisonment.

When the case against Basil Rajapaksa was being heard yesterday, the judicial medical officer, Uthpala Attygala who said that the condition of Basil Rajapaksa who was said to be suffering from a chest pain remarked after examination that he was not suffering from such a condition as was told. It was 2 weeks before this that Basil had entered the Merchant's Ward at the Colombo National Hospital from the prison hospital saying that he was suffering from a chest pain after he was initially directed to jail. When Basil Rajapaksa was said to be ill, the former secretary of Economic Development Ministry Dr. Nihal Jayatillaka had reported that he was suffering from a spine-ache and had effected this change while the other three too had complained of various other ailments.

Basil Rajapaksa's lawyers brought forward various excuses yesterday for the purpose of obtaining bail and Basil Rajapaksa who who arrived at courts premises in an ambulance got down from it, but did not enter the courts. Prior to considering whether to give bail, the magistrate went across to the ambulance and after meeting him had arrived at the decision to reject granting bail. As it was a case that had been filed under the Act of Common Property the courts has no permission to grant Basil bail straightaway.

Whatever it is, though the judicial medical officer has said that Basil is not ailing, the magistrate did not instruct him to be removed from the paying ward and transfer him to prison. What the Kaduwela Magistrate instructed the Colombo Judicial Officer yesterday was to forward a medical report after examination of the other three for the next hearing in courts.

The suspects were ordered to be remanded until next 20th.