The Court of Appeal issued an interim order preventing the arrest of former Minister and Ceylon Newspapers (Pvt) Ltd. Managing Director Tiran Alles over a complaint concerning allegedly dishonoured cheques issued to purchase paper for printing Mawbima and Ceylon Today.
The order was issued yesterday (30 September) after the court considered a writ petition seeking to prevent his arrest over a cheque transaction between two private companies.
Meanwhile, journalists and other employees of Mawbima and Ceylon Today, published by the company owned by the former Public Security Minister, have faced severe hardship over unpaid salaries for several months and unpaid Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) contributions for several years.
The Labour Department said it had received numerous complaints concerning the management’s failure to deposit employees’ EPF contributions over several years, in violation of labour laws.
Amid worsening salary and EPF arrears, the management abruptly decided to close the Mawbima daily newspaper on 5 March, jeopardising the livelihoods of many employees and their dependants.
