The Negombo Magistrate's Court today released the new passport of UPFA MP Wimal Weerawansa on a bond of Rs. 100,000, allowing him to travel abroad.

This direction was given when the case pertaining to his alleged passport discrepancy was taken up for hearing today.

Weerawansa was arrested by the CID at Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport on October 23 when he arrived to leave for Europe. He was released on bail on the same day.

Speaking to media on the day of his arrest, Weerawansa said that he recently lost his passport and had obtained a new one. Later he found the lost passport and had mistakenly sent it to stamp the visa. However in this period he also lost the passport he had newly obtained, Weerawansa further maintained.

The case was fixed for hearing on May 5, 2016.