In a recent development, Pastor Jerome Fernando’s lawyers have withdrawn the writ application that sought an order to prevent his arrest by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). The self-styled ‘prophet’ had filed a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition before the Supreme Court on May 26, challenging the legality of his potential arrest.
The respondents named in the FR petition included the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the DIG in charge of the CID, the CID director, and the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the CID’s cybercrimes unit. However, on June 21, Fernando’s legal team decided to withdraw the application.
In his petition, the Pastor argued that the CID’s attempts to arrest him were unlawful and lacked substantial evidence to prove that his comments posed a threat to religious harmony in the country.
The controversy surrounding Fernando erupted when a video of one of his sermons, where he made derogatory statements about Lord Buddha and other religious figures, went viral on social media. This sparked significant outrage and heated debates nationwide.
With the withdrawal of the writ application, the focus now shifts to the potential legal actions and investigations that may be pursued by the authorities regarding the Pastor’s remarks. The situation continues to raise questions about freedom of speech, religious sensitivity, and the boundaries of expression in society.
