The Court of Appeal has dismissed, without taking it up for hearing, a writ petition filed by former State Minister Prasanna Ranaweera seeking an order to prevent his arrest in connection with the alleged illegal acquisition of state land under the jurisdiction of the Kelaniya Divisional Secretariat.

The order was delivered by a bench comprising the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Mohammed Laffar Tahir, and Justice Priyantha Fernando.

Meanwhile, former Minister Mervyn Silva and several others remain in remand custody, as ordered by the Mahara Magistrate’s Court, in relation to the same incident.

Furthermore, Ranaweera is evading the arrest for close to two months.