"Abducted" Child Forced To Appear In Election Ad: Court Orders Police To Investigate

A mother has complained to the Police that her child has been "abducted" and used for political campaigns.

Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Chamila Kumari Dissanayake, the mother who  lodged the complaint,said   that her child was used for an election ad supporting President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

She added that the husband took her child on December 26 and she saw her thereafter on December 30 on television.

"The Mother alleged that the child has been subjected to mental and physical harm", Lawyer Saliya Pieris who represents the mother told media  yesterday.

"Police reported to court that after conducting investigations that the father of the child has abducted the child without the consent of the mother and the grandmother who are the guardians of the child", he added.

On the video clip, the child says that his mother is being held hostage by Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena and he pleads the Common Candidate to release his mother.

The Colombo Magistrate ordered the police to investigate into the incident and arrest the father of the child.

(Hasitha Ayeshmantha)