COLOMBO (News1st): The Kotmale additional regional officer of the Land Title Settlement Department who was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department over a Facebook post on environmental destruction, has been released on bail.

This was after the officer was produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court today.

“He had used fake images and claimed that the Sinharaja forest, the Wilpattu Forest, and important forest lands in the Sinharaja forest were being cleared,” police spokesperson Ajith Rohana said.

The Kotmale additional regional officer of the Land Title Settlement Department was released on two surety bails after being produced before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court.

“We feel that the government is trying to suppress the freedom of speech. They are trying to silence state officers,” defence counsel Manju Sri Chandrasena said.