A Colombo Court today issued an order to the news directors of Hiru TV and Swarnavahini to hand over unedited video footage of the commotion took place at the Jathika Bala Sena (JBS) media conference on April 9 after the Bodu Bala Sena’s  (BBS) stormed the Nippon hotel in Colombo.

While issuing this order Colombo Additional Magistrate A.M.M. Sahabdeen directed the Slave Island police to conduct further investigations into the incident and report to the Court.

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According to the Court order the news directors of two private channels were ordered to hand over relevant video footage to police which were recorded by their photo journalists from 10am to 11.30pm at the Nippon hotel.

Meanwhile, the Slave Island police informed Court that they refrained from arresting the suspected Buddhist monks and other Sinhala laymen as they thought it could obstruct the religious and ethnic harmony in the country. 

In his complaint to police Ven. Vijitha Thera, UPFA Mahiyanganaya Pradeshiya Sabha member, alleged that Buddhist monks belonging to the BBS, including its general secretary Gnanasara Thera, had stormed the media conference and threatened him with death, and disrupted their media conference. He further alleged that he had been followed by the BBS seneral Secretary and other members of BBS for a period of eight months. He further said he had made five complaints with the IGP and two complaints with Mahiyanganaya police over the threats, but no action was taken against the suspects.