CID seeks AG’s advice on future action against astrologer

The CID conducting investigations against Astrologer Vijitha Rohana Wijayamuni for allegedly exciting feelings of disaffection for President Maithripala Sirisena, after making a prediction that the President would die on a particular day in January, informed Court that they have sought the Attorney General’s advice regarding future legal action against the suspect. He is currently out on bail and further magisterial inquiry was fixed for August 1 by Chief Magistrate Lal Ranasinghe Bandara. The CID had arrested the suspect on January 31, over an offence he allegedly committed under Section 120 of the Penal Code and Section 6 of the Computer Crimes Act after sharing a video on social media forecasting the death of the President on January 26 this year. The CID informed Court that the first video released by the suspect predicted that the President would die on January 26 and later he posted another video proposing another date to that effect in a manner creating disaffection amongst the public.

The suspect Vijitha Rohana Wijayamuni, a former naval officer, was found guilty for attempted murder, when he assaulted then Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi during his visit to Sri Lanka in 1989 to sign the Indo-Lanka Peace Accord.

Section 120 of the Penal Code states: “Whoever by words, either spoken or intended to be read, or by signs; or by visible representations, or otherwise, excites or attempts to excite feelings of disaffection to the President or to the Government of the Republic, or excites or attempts to excite hatred to or contempt of the administration of justice, or excites or attempts to excite the People of Sri Lanka to procure, otherwise than by lawful means, the alteration of any matter by law established, or attempts to raise discontent or disaffection amongst the People of Sri Lanka, or to promote

feelings of ill-will and hostility between different classes of such People, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years”.