The Colombo Additional Magistrate has ordered that Atamasthanadhipathi Ven. Pallegama Hemarathana Thera, who was arrested on suspicion in connection with a rape and child abuse case, be remanded until 12 May.

Ven. Pallegama Hemarathana Thera was arrested on the night of 8 May while receiving treatment at Nawaloka Hospital, and the magistrate examined the suspect within the hospital premises itself.He is scheduled to be produced before the Anuradhapura Prison on 12 May.

The magistrate further ordered that, as Ven. Pallegama Hemarathana Thera could not continue to remain at the relevant private hospital after being remanded, he should be admitted either to the National Hospital of Colombo or the Prison Hospital for further treatment based on medical recommendations.

A number of crucial details relating to the investigations were revealed when the case was taken up before Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate Siyapath Sasidu Wickramaratne on 4 April. The girl had been taken into police custody on 27 April while staying with her boyfriend at a lodge within the Nittambuwa Police Division. When she was later produced before the Consultant Judicial Medical Officer at the Gampaha General Hospital, it was confirmed that she had been raped on several occasions.