Uduwe Dhammaloka Thera today told media that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had wanted his arrest, following a successful religious programme he conducted in Anuradhapura.

Speaking to the media after the hearing on the illegal possession of an elephant, Dhammaloka Thera said that the Prime Minister had been disturbed following the programme and had convened a meeting where he had insisted on making the arrest.

During the Magisterial Inquiry earlier in the day, the CID told Colombo Additional Magistrate Nishantha Peiris that the investigations against Uduwe Dhammaloka Thera for allegedly possessing an elephant cub illegally have been concluded.

The relevant documents have been forwarded to the Attorney General to obtain his opinion on whether the case could be filed at the High Court, the CID also said.

Considering the submission by the CID, the Additional Magistrate fixed the date of the next hearing for June 9.