Sri Lanka, July 9 -- Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena yesterday (8) ordered that Sugeeshwara Bandara, the former Private Secretary to former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and former Director of Special Projects under the Government of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe be further remanded in custody until July 22.

Reading out a five-page order regarding the bail application filed on behalf of the suspect, the Magistrate rejected the bail request and ordered the suspect to be further remanded.

Rejecting the bail application on the grounds that charges have been filed against the suspect under the Public Property Act, which makes bail unavailable, and that no exceptional circumstances have been presented to warrant the granting of bail, ...