A crucial ruling on Monday will determine whether former Naval Intelligence Director Rear Admiral (Retd) Sarath Mohotti will remain behind bars or walk out on bail, in a case now linked to a post-war disappearance.
The Kurunegala High Court is scheduled to deliver its decision on the bail appeal filed on behalf of Mohotti on the 10th. The appeal was taken up earlier this week, where counsel representing the retired officer made a strong case for his release.
Attorney Nalinda Indratissa appeared for Mohotti and urged the court to grant bail, arguing that continued detention was unnecessary. However, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) firmly opposed the application, stating that fresh evidence has emerged relating to the disappearance of an individual from the Pothuhera area in the post-war period. The CID informed court in writing that the new findings are linked to the wider investigation being conducted.
Mohotti was arrested by the CID on September 18, weeks after the high-profile arrest of former Navy Commander Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne, who was later granted bail after nearly 70 days in remand custody. Both arrests are tied to alleged abductions and disappearances, a long-shadowed issue connected to the final stages and aftermath of Sri Lanka’s civil conflict.
The upcoming ruling is expected to draw wide attention from legal observers, human rights activists and the defence community, as it may set the tone for how similar wartime-linked cases proceed in court.
Sri Lanka’s legal system now faces yet another test: whether a senior military intelligence figure will be allowed bail as investigations deepen, or whether the judiciary will keep him in custody as the probe advances.
