Colombo Additional Magistrate Pasan Amarasena today ordered the release of 27-year-old Mohamed Shafrool, also known as “Podi Zaharan”, who was taken into custody for filming the Dawoodi Bohra community’s spiritual convention underway in Bambalapitiya, Colombo.
Mohamed Shafrool, who was arrested by the Bambalapitiya Police and detained for questioning by the Criminal Investigations Department, was later handed over to the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID), which had produced him in court.
TID officers informed the court that CID interrogations of the suspect had not uncovered any terrorism or extremism-related activities related to him, after which the court had ordered his release.
“Podi Zaharan”, who was previously arrested in connection with the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, was apprehended by Bambalapitiya police while recording video footage near the Bohra mosque during a religious event on Friday.
According to the state newspaper, Dinamina, he was reportedly using his mobile phone to film the area surrounding the mosque and the nearby railway station, raising suspicion among officers on duty. (Newswire)