Samarappulige Niraj Roshan, widely known as ‘Ali Roshan’, has been sentenced to 15 years of rigorous imprisonment by a three-judge bench of the Colombo High Court for possessing an elephant without a valid permit.

In addition to the prison term, Roshan was fined Rs. 20.6 million, and the court ordered the confiscation of the elephant.

The verdict was delivered by High Court Justices Manjula Thilakaratne, R.S.S. Sapuvida, and Lanka Jayaratne after a lengthy trial.

Three other defendants charged in connection with the case were acquitted and released.