Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya yesterday ordered CBNSat and LBN to keep their services closed until August 15.
The magistrate made this order when three separate cases filed by the CID against CBNSat, LBN and SatNet were taken together for inquiry.
The magistrate made this order when three separate cases filed by the CID against CBNSat, LBN and SatNet were taken together for inquiry.
Senior Sate Counsel Gihan Kulatunga appearing with the CID informed court that the investigations would be completed by next week and thereafter they would file charges against the cable channel networks. He also stated that CID would not object to reopening the networks with the consent of the minister.
Counsel for the Media Ministry Hemantha Warnakulasuriy PC making his submissions stated that from the inception of Cable channel network in Sri Lanka irregularities had taken place in the process of granting approval to function. The media ministry was now seriously concerned about it. The ministry was taking necessary measures to regularize the faults,which would take a fairly long time . Therefore a long date could be fixed for the next inquiry.
Kuvera de Zoysa Senior Counsel for LBN network in his submission stated that the B report filed by CID in court did not reveal any offences committed by his client. Therefore shutting down his net work was an injustice against him. He asked court to grant him permission to reopen his service..
Senior Counsel for Sat Net network Anuja Premaratne informed court that the provisions in the TRC act could only apply for the transmissions that were decoded within Sri Lanka Further he stated that his client was noticed to appear before court on criminal charges.
The law specifically states that in such a situation the charges should be clearly stated in the B report but the B report of the CID did not mention any charges. In a situation like that it was the court that had the jurisdiction but not the minister. Therefore he cannot be charged for violating any law...
At this stage state counsel informed court that SatNet was selling the equipments without a valid permit .They would be charged on those grounds.
Counsel for CBNsat Riad Ameen stated that the CID carried on investigations without closing it since March . Therefore to grant them a short date for next inquiry..
The magistrarate after considering the submissions of all parties postponed the inquiries for August 15 and ordered CID to accelerate investigations of CBNsat.
Counsel for the Media Ministry Hemantha Warnakulasuriy PC making his submissions stated that from the inception of Cable channel network in Sri Lanka irregularities had taken place in the process of granting approval to function. The media ministry was now seriously concerned about it. The ministry was taking necessary measures to regularize the faults,which would take a fairly long time . Therefore a long date could be fixed for the next inquiry.
Kuvera de Zoysa Senior Counsel for LBN network in his submission stated that the B report filed by CID in court did not reveal any offences committed by his client. Therefore shutting down his net work was an injustice against him. He asked court to grant him permission to reopen his service..
Senior Counsel for Sat Net network Anuja Premaratne informed court that the provisions in the TRC act could only apply for the transmissions that were decoded within Sri Lanka Further he stated that his client was noticed to appear before court on criminal charges.
The law specifically states that in such a situation the charges should be clearly stated in the B report but the B report of the CID did not mention any charges. In a situation like that it was the court that had the jurisdiction but not the minister. Therefore he cannot be charged for violating any law...
At this stage state counsel informed court that SatNet was selling the equipments without a valid permit .They would be charged on those grounds.
Counsel for CBNsat Riad Ameen stated that the CID carried on investigations without closing it since March . Therefore to grant them a short date for next inquiry..
The magistrarate after considering the submissions of all parties postponed the inquiries for August 15 and ordered CID to accelerate investigations of CBNsat.
By T. Farook Thajudeen
1 comment:
CBNsat has filed a case in the supreme court (ITN news @ 12 noon today) asking to remove the suspension of transmissions. They are not going to sit and wonder till govt mofos draft regulations. Let's hope they get a judge who hasnt become a lapdog of the government.
OWN EM ALL CBN!
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