INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Pastor Jerome Fernando, who was under fire for his much-disputed comments on several religions, has made an appearance at the Criminal
months of controversy over his remarks
He arrived from Singapore on board a Qatar Airlines flight and left the airport through the Gold Route at the Bandaranaike International
Airport (BIA) in Katunayake.On November 17, the Court of Appeal ordered the CID not to arrest Pastor Fernando upon his arrival in the
As such, he arrived at the CID premises this morning to provide a statement.This interim order was issued in respect of the petition filed
by Pastor Fernando, seeking to prevent the CID from arresting him.Pastor Fernando found himself in hot water after a video of a sermon
delivered by him was widely circulated on social media, stirring much controversy in the country, due to allegations that it included
derogatory statements related to Lord Buddha and other religious figures.Subsequently, President Ranil Wickremesinghe had ordered the CID to
However, the police had said Pastor Fernando could be arrested upon his return to the island.On May 26, Fernando filed an FR petition before
the court, through his attorneys, seeking an order preventing his arrest
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the DIG in charge of the CID, the CID director and the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the cybercrimes
unlawful, claiming that the police had not presented any piece of evidence to the court to prove that his comments threatened religious
