Former ITN Deputy General Manager (News) Sudharman Radaliyagoda, former TRC Director General Anusha Palpita and ten others were released over the use of an "abducted" child for an election advertisement during the 2015 Presidential Election campaign on the advice of the Attorney General.

The Attorney General's instructions were informed to Additional Magistrate Aruni Artigala today.

The case was filed by the Children and Women Bureau.

The child's mother complained to the Police in January 2015 that her child has been "abducted" and used for political campaigns.

Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Chamila Kumari Dissanayake, the mother who  lodged the complaint, said that her child was used for an election ad supporting the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

She added that the husband took her child on December 26 and she saw her thereafter on December 30 on television.

The Mother alleged that the child has been subjected to mental and physical harm.

On the video clip, the child says that his mother is being held hostage by the then Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena and he pleads the Common Candidate to release his mother.