By Saman Indrajith

Kegalle Magistrate Prasanna Alwis yesterday ordered Leader of the Frontline Socialist Party Kumar Gunaratnam further remanded till Nov. 27.

The order was given when a case against Gunaratnam for violating immigration rules was taken up at the Kegalle Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

When the case was taken up all attorneys-at-law present in the court stood up and appeared for Gunaratnam.

Kegalle Police informed the Court that Gunaratnam had arrived in Sri Lanka using an Australian Passport and he was an Australian overstaying his visa and sought the court’s intervention to deport him.

Frontline Socialist Party lawyers, Nuwan Bopage and Nalinda Indatissa said that Gunaratnam was not an Australian citizen but a Sri Lankan therefore an issue of violating visa regulation did not arise. They also submitted a bail application seeking the release of Gunaratnam.

Magistrate Alwis postponed the case till Nov. 27 and said the bail application would be considered on that date.

Gunaratnam alias Kumar Mahattaya was arrested at his ancestral home at No 211/26, Anguruwella in Kegalle on Nov 4 by a team of policemen from the Kegalle Police on charges of violating immigration regulations. On being produced before Kegalle Magistrate on the same date, he was remanded till yesterday.

Gunaratnam arrived in Sri Lanka on January 01, this year using an Australian Passport (N 1016123) bearing the name, Noel Mudalige. He had been granted a visa till January 30, 2015 but did not leave the country on its expiration claiming that he has citizenry rights. His name has been included in the FSP’s national list accepted by the Elections Commissioner for the August 17 general election. Gunaratnam’s name has been listed along with his real NIC No 653231890 V.

Courtesy:The Island