Colombo Fort Magistrate Court refused to withdraw the arrest warrant on the former high level LTTE operative Emil Kanthan.

The warrant and the red notice on him was removed earlier this month by the Special High Court in Colombo, on a request made by his lawyers.

A lawyer appearing for Emil Kanthan had assured the High Court that his client will produce himself before the court in the near future. However, the Colombo Magistrate Court today refused to withdraw the warrant since he had not surrendered to court.

It is alleged that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa brokered a deal with the LTTE through Emil Kanthan in 2005 during the Presidential Election. During this election, the LTTE ordered Tamil people in North and East to boycott the election, and a vast majority of the Tamils in these provinces did not turn out to vote.