July 26, Colombo: Sri Lanka's Court of Appeals has ordered the Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiyutheen to personally appear before the court on the 5th of September to show cause why he should not be punished for contempt of court.

The Appeals Court issued the order in response to a contempt of court case filed by a group of seven lawyers yesterday over the Minister's alleged attempt to thwart the course of justice by intimidating a Magistrate and trying to revoke the magistrate's ruling.

The Chairman of the Appeals court Justice Ranjith Silva has further ordered the Minister not to try to intimidate in any form the petitioners, witnesses or their relatives.