Sri Lanka's Court of Appeal has dismissed a writ petition filed by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa seeking judicial protection against arrest and detention in connection with investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.
Rajapaksa had sought an order preventing the Criminal Investigation Department from arresting and detaining him under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
The Court of Appeal dismissed the petition without proceeding to a full hearing.
The decision was delivered by a two-judge bench comprising Court of Appeal President Justice Rohantha Abeysuriya and Justice Sarath Dissanayake.
The court declined to exercise its writ jurisdiction and refused the request to issue notices to the respondents.
The ruling means Rajapaksa did not obtain the prospective judicial protection against arrest and detention that he sought through the petition.
It does not amount to an order directing Police to arrest him.
It is also not a judicial finding that Rajapaksa committed an offence connected with the Easter Sunday attacks.
Reporting on the proceedings says President's Counsel Romesh de Silva, appearing for Rajapaksa, sought permission to lodge a special appeal against the order.
The matter is expected to be called on October 9 for submissions concerning that request.
This proceeding is separate from the Lalith and Kugan disappearance inquiry in which Rajapaksa recently appeared and gave evidence as a witness.
The two matters must not be merged.