By A.J.A. Abeynayake

Police had not been able to arrest former minister and SJB MP Rishad Bathiudeen, at the time of going to press, despite Attorney General Dappula de Livera’s order that he be taken into custody and produced in court forthwith.

Police spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana, yesterday, said that six CID teams had been deployed to arrest MP Bathiudeen following the Attorney General’s directive. .

A police constable attached to MP Bathudieen’s security detail was taken into custody on the charge of helping the MP evade arrest, police said.

Accountant Alagethram Manoranjan, allegedly involved in transporting IDP voters to Mannar was taken into custody, police said.

CID teams had visited MP Bathuideen’s Colombo and Mannar residences but he had not been there, police said.

Attorney General Dappula de Livera, on Tuesday, directed the Acting IGP to obtain a warrant from court and arrest MP Bathuideen on charges of criminal misappropriation of public funds and violation of election laws with regard to the transportation of IDPs in CTB buses to vote at the 2019 presidential election.

Fort Magistrate Priyantha Liyanage, on Tuesday, told the CID that it did not need a warrant from a court to arrest Bathiudeen and two others, based on the nature of the charges proffered against them.

State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne, the Coordinating Officer to the Attorney General told The Island that Fort Magistrate Liyanage had ordered the CID to act accordingly and report facts to the court.