HC orders CMC to conduct inquiry separately on every 15 elephants before releasing

Revision Application concluded:

By Shehan Chamika Silva

The Colombo High Court today concluding consideration of
the revision application filed by the Attorney General against the Colombo Chief Magistrate's decision to release 15 elephants on bond directed the Chief Magistrate to conduct a special inquiry into the each an every elephant
separately.

The High Court Judge Manilal Waidyathilake also ordered the
elephants with valid licenses to be released from those 15 elephants and rest
to be given to the Wild Life custody.

The court had also observed that the erroneous of the
revision application filed by the Attorney General when the matter was
considering.

On an earlier occasion, suspending the Magistrate’s order the High Court
had got down the case report of the inquiry conducted at Chief Magistrate’s
Court (CMC) into the allegation of alteration made to the elephant registration
book at Wild Life Department.

However, the High Court yesterday also ordered to send the
case report again to the CMC to continue the further inquiry.

Earlier, Colombo Chief Magistrate had given an order
releasing 15 elephants kept in Udawalawa Transit Home on bonds to use in the
religious processions to be held until August 30 over the inquiry conducted
at the CMC.

More than 40 elephants,without valid licenses had been taken into the Wild Life
Custody by the CID  over the inquiry conducted into the alteration made to the elephant registration
book at Wild Life Department.