Gnanasara Thero missing after Supreme Court nullifies pardon

Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero, the Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena organization, is currently missing following a Supreme Court ruling that nullified his 2019 presidential pardon. The court determined that the pardon, originally granted by former President Maithripala Sirisena, was arbitrary and violated public trust and the principles of natural justice.

Prison officials visited the temple in Rajagiriya, Nawala, where the monk resides, to initiate the process of re-imprisonment to serve the remainder of his six-year sentence for contempt of court. However, officials found the temple empty, and other resident monks stated they were unaware of his current whereabouts.

Law enforcement authorities noted that further legal action cannot proceed until the monk is either arrested or surrenders to the police. The case has drawn significant attention due to the constitutional implications regarding the use of presidential pardons in Sri Lanka.