The Chavakachcheri Magistrate's Court has dismissed an application seeking the institution of contempt of court proceedings against Balangoda Kassapa in connection with public statements he made regarding the ongoing Navatkuli abuse case involving a Sinhala Buddhist monk accused of attempting to sexually abuse a minor girl.
The court delivered its determination last week after previously reserving its decision on whether contempt proceedings should be initiated.
The application arose from a case that has attracted significant attention across the North-East, involving allegations that a Buddhist monk attempted to sexually abuse a young girl who had gone to fetch drinking water from the Navatkuli Vihara.
The monk was subsequently arrested, remanded in custody and later released on bail, a decision that sparked protests and widespread calls for accountability from women's organisations, civil society groups and Tamil political representatives.
In the aftermath of the case, it was alleged that Balangoda Kassapa had convened a media briefing in Colombo and made public comments relating to the proceedings that amounted to contempt of court.
On that basis, a petition was filed seeking an inquiry and the institution of contempt proceedings against him.
When the matter was taken up, the court held that the threshold required to initiate contempt proceedings had not been met.
The court noted that the Buddhist monk accused in the underlying case had not violated any of the conditions imposed upon him following his release on bail.
It further observed that Kassapa was a third party to the proceedings and found that the statements attributed to him did not warrant the institution of contempt of court action.
Accordingly, the application seeking an inquiry was dismissed.
Meanwhile, President's Counsel M. A. Sumanthiran has stated that steps will be taken to challenge the ruling before the Jaffna High Court.
The appeal is expected to focus on the court's refusal to proceed with an inquiry into whether the public statements attributed to Kassapa interfered with the administration of justice in the underlying case.
The criminal proceedings against the monk accused in the Navatkuli case continue separately before the courts.
