Police are investigating to ascertain if former Supreme Court Justice Sarath De Abrew committed suicide earlier today.

He 63-year-old died after falling from the upper floor of his house in Attidiya. At the time of his death, his wife, daughter, the servant and another person had been inside the house.

Abrew was on trial in Colombo High Court over an alleged sexual assault on a domestic helper. The alleged incident had occurred in June 2015.

A separate magisterial inquiry is being held against him at Mount Lavinia Magistrate's Court.