Harak Kata and Four Others Indicted Over CID Escape Plot

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's Attorney General has filed a fresh indictment before the Colombo High Court against five individuals, including notorious underworld figure Nandun Chinthaka Wickramaratne, alias Harak Kata, over an alleged conspiracy to escape while in custody of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

The case was called before High Court Judge Sujeewa Nishshanka, where indictments were formally read out in open court.

The accused include:

Nandun Chinthaka Wickramaratne (Harak Kata)
Ravindu Sandeepa Gunasekara (former CID constable)
Dinesh Tharanga
Ruwan Chamara alias Midigama Ruwan
Sanjeewa Abeysinghe

The court ordered that fingerprints of all accused be recorded, and scheduled the next hearing for September 24.

Previously, the Attorney General had filed a separate case against Harak Kata and two others. 

However, State Counsel Sajith Bandara requested permission to withdraw that indictment, citing pending appeals filed by the accused before the Court of Appeal.

Judge Nishshanka stated that if the accused formally withdraw their appeals, a directive regarding the earlier case could be issued accordingly.

Counsel representing the accused informed the court that they intend to file a motion before the Court of Appeal to withdraw the appeals.