The Colombo Magistrate's Court mandated the continued detention of former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen who had been named as the fifth suspect over the death of a 16-year-old domestic worker at his residence until October 1.
Colombo Magistrate granted bail to the wife of Rishad Bathiudeen, Ayesha Shehabdeen and her father at Rs. 1 million each.
MP Rishad Bathiudeen and his brother remain in Criminal Investigation Department (CID) custody over connection to the Easter Sunday attacks under Sri Lanka's widely condemned Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). He is now under investigation for allegedly aiding and abetting in the death and sexual assault of 16-year-old domestic worker Hishalini Jude Kumar.
On July 26, the Court had issued an order to exhume the body of the domestic worker and was consequently informed of several discrepancies between the cause of death between the first and second post mortem reports. Investigations are underway to determince whether the death was a murder or suicide.
Earlier in September, a jailor was transferred for providing a phone to the former minister. On Monday, the court ordered a report on the phone records of the presently incarcerated All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) Leader and Rishad Bathiudeen.
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