Former Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa, who was arrested by the FCID earlier in the day over a land issue, was released on bail by the Pugoda Magistrate a short while ago.

He was released on a cash bail of Rs 100,000 and two sureties of Rs 2 million each.

He was arrested after he appeared before the FCID to give a statement over the purchase of a 17 acre land and a house in Malwana, Biyagama.

This is the second time he was arrested over land issues by the FCID in recent weeks. In early May, he was arrested over a land issue in Matara and was released on bail.