The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) has asked former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to give a statement on August 17 over the abduction of journalist Keith Noyahr. 

The CID has found evidence that a group attached to the Army intelligence wing had abducted and assaulted Noyahr in May, 2008. 

Police sources said the CID would record a statement from the former President at the latter's residence in Colombo. 

Media reports stated that speaker Karu Jayasuriya had contacted Rajapaksa on the night of Noyahr's abduction and asked him to intervene in the matter. 

It was after Jayasuriya's phone call to the former President that Noyahr was released by abductors.