Aug 23, Colombo: A Sri Lankan court Monday granted bail to a main opposition United National Party (UNP) legislator who has been in remand custody since December 2009.

The Colombo Appeal Court has granted bail to UNP Kalutara District parliamentarian Palitha Thevarapperuma. The Appeal Court granted him a personal bail of Rs. 25,000.

Thevarapperuma was arrested in December 2009 for allegedly assaulting a secretary of a government minister during the Presidential election campaign.

The opposition legislator even held a protest outside the parliamentary complex with his wife demanding his release claiming he was arrested for political reasons.

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe also discussed Thevarapperuma's case during his meetings with President Mahinda Rajapaksa.