Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali Jayathunga today (14) issued a notice to the Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), ordering them to appear in court on Friday, 18 July, and present submissions regarding the attempted arrest of former Fisheries Minister Rajitha Senaratne.

The directive follows the consideration of an anticipatory bail application filed by Rajitha Senaratne, who is being sought in connection with an alleged irregular sand mining project at the Kirinda Fisheries Harbour. The project, awarded to a Korean company, reportedly caused a financial loss exceeding Rs. 200 million to the state.

Appearing on behalf of the former minister, President’s Counsel Maithri Gunaratne argued that Senaratne, a senior politician who made significant contributions to the fisheries sector, is being targeted for arrest over what is essentially a civil matter.

Gunaratne explained that the dredging work carried out at the Kirinda harbour involved cleaning operations using a foreign vessel. A dispute later arose when the foreign company allegedly abandoned the work without payment, leading to an ongoing case at the Colombo Commercial High Court. The defence contended that the matter is already under civil litigation and does not warrant criminal action.

He further noted that CIABOC appears to be preparing to arrest Senaratne despite the issue being civil in nature. Based on this, the defence requested the court to issue a directive to prevent an unjustified arrest.

Having considered the submissions, the Magistrate ordered the Director General of CIABOC to be present in court on 18 July to clarify the circumstances surrounding the investigation and proposed arrest.