Gnanasara Thero arrested while hiding in a forest monastery

Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero was arrested by the police while residing at Lenagiri Aranya Senasanaya, located on Tawalama Road, Pitigala, Thiniyawala. The court had ordered his arrest based on open warrants issued by the Court of Appeal and the High Court.

 The CCD carried out this arrest.

The main reason for his arrest was the Supreme Court's nullification on the 29th of the presidential pardon granted by former President Maithripala Sirisena in May 2019 for a prison sentence imposed by the Court of Appeal in 2018. Gnanasara Thero had been sentenced to 19 years of rigorous imprisonment (to be served within 6 years) for contempt of court during the hearing of journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda's disappearance case at the Homagama Magistrate's Court in 2016.

However, the Supreme Court, after hearing several fundamental rights petitions filed by parties including Mrs. Sandya Ekneligoda, ruled that the pardon was granted arbitrarily, violating the proper procedure of the constitution, and thus nullified it. With the nullification of the presidential pardon, the original prison sentence imposed by the Court of Appeal was reinstated, and an order was issued for his arrest to enforce it.

Additionally, a senior police officer stated that another warrant had been issued because Gnanasara Thero failed to appear for a court proceeding related to a charge of insulting Islam, which was heard at the Colombo High Court No. 09 on the 30th.

Since security cannot be provided to a person with outstanding court warrants, steps were taken to withdraw the police protection previously provided to Gnanasara Thero's temple from the 30th. A senior police officer stated that this step was taken in accordance with the provisions of the Assistance and Protection to Victims of Crime and Witnesses Act.

This arrest operation was carried out under the instructions of Chief Police Inspector Asanka Suraweera, OIC of the Colombo Crimes Division. A team including Chief Police Inspector Kapila Kariyawasam, OIC of the Organized Crime Investigation Unit, and Sub-Inspector Maduka Basitha Rasanjana, OIC of Unit Five, is conducting investigations.
It is expected that Gnanasara Thero will, in accordance with court orders, serve the remaining five and a half years of his previous prison sentence.