The Colombo High Court today granted bail to the General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, as ordered by the Court of Appeal.
Colombo High Court Judge Aditya Patabendige issued the order to grant bail to Ven. Gnanasara Thera, who was earlier sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment.
Earlier this year, the Colombo High Court sentenced the Buddhist monk for statements made in 2016 that were deemed harmful to national and religious harmony. In addition to the prison sentence, a fine of Rs. 100,000 was imposed.
The case centred around remarks made by Ven. Gnanasara Thera concerning the Kuragala Buddhist Temple, during a press briefing in Colombo in 2016.
Following his sentencing, a bail application filed at the Colombo High Court was dismissed by Judge Aditya Patabendige, after which a revision petition was filed at the Court of Appeal.
Considering the revision petition, the Court of Appeal last week ordered Ven. Gnanasara Thera to be released on a cash bail of Rs. 50,000 and two sureties of Rs. 500,000.
The Court of Appeal had also imposed an overseas travel ban on the Buddhist monk and had further instructed the Colombo High Court to inform the Department of Immigration and Emigration in this regard.
Accordingly, BBS General Secretary, Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera was granted bail by the Colombo High Court today as per the instructions of the Court of Appeal. (Newswire)