Open warrant issued for the arrest of Gnanasara Thera

02-Oct-2026

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The Court of Appeal has issued an open warrant for the arrest of Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena organisation, who was convicted of contempt of court and sentenced to imprisonment. The warrant directs that he be arrested and produced before the court.

The court has also imposed an overseas travel ban on Gnanasara Thera. It directed that the order be communicated to the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration and that the warrant be executed through the Inspector General of Police.

The order was issued when the case came up before a Bench of the Court of Appeal comprising Justices Mayadunne Corea and Lakmali Karunannayake.

Appearing for the Attorney General, Deputy Solicitor General Rajitha Perera made submissions to the court.

He stated that the Criminal Investigation Department, the Colombo Crimes Division and intelligence agencies had already been informed of the previously issued warrant for the arrest of Gnanasara Thera, and that the necessary steps had been taken to execute it. A report on the implementation of the warrant had also been filed before the court.

He further stated that information had been received that Gnanasara Thera had visited the Colombo court complex on September 29, but no information about his whereabouts had emerged thereafter.

President's Counsel Anura Meddegoda, appearing for Gnanasara Thera, told the court that he had received information that his client was undergoing treatment due to ill health. However, he had not received any instructions from his client at that stage. The counsel also pointed out that a medical report confirming his client's illness had been submitted to the court.

Meanwhile, Attorney Asthika Devendra, appearing on behalf of Sandhya Ekneligoda, the wife of disappeared journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda, requested permission for his client to participate in the proceedings and make submissions.

The judges, however, stated that since the case concerned contempt of court, they did not intend to consider third-party intervention at that stage.

The Attorney General had filed a motion seeking the enforcement of the prison sentence imposed on Gnanasara Thera after the presidential pardon granted to him was revoked. When the motion was taken up for consideration on September 29, Gnanasara Thera was absent from court.

President's Counsel appearing for him had sought an extension of time, stating that Gnanasara Thera was unwell and resting. However, State Counsel Sajith Bandara submitted that, as the matter was a criminal case and the accused had failed to appear, a warrant should be issued for his arrest.

After considering the submissions made before it, the Bench issued an open warrant for Gnanasara Thera's arrest and imposed a travel ban.

It may be recalled that on September 29, the court had issued a warrant directing that Gnanasara Thera be arrested and produced before it on October 1.