Appeals Court dismisses petitions in Balangoda Kassapa Thera case

Petitions seeking to invalidate the remand order against Venerable Balangoda Kassapa Thero and Venerable Trincomalee Kalyanawansa Tissa Thero were dismissed by the Court of Appeal today (03).

The order was delivered by a two-judge bench comprising Court of Appeal President Justice Rohantha Abeysuriya and Justice Priyantha Fernando. The bench ruled that there were insufficient grounds to maintain the petitions, which challenged the initial decision made by the Trincomalee Magistrate’s Court.

The case involves the unauthorised installation of a Buddha statue within a coastal conservation zone in Trincomalee. Following the dismissal of the petitions, the Trincomalee Magistrate’s Court yesterday (02) further extended the remand of the two monks and eight other suspects until February 9.