Sri Lanka, Dec. 4 -- President's Counsel Saliya Peiris yesterday pleaded with the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court to release the tamed elephants taken into custody by the Criminal Investigation Department, to their original owners.

These elephants were detained and placed under the care of the Department of National Zoological Gardens as evidence material, following cases filed in court on investigations carried out in past.

When the matter was taken up before Court, a group of lawyers including President's Counsel Saliya Peiris informed the Magistrate that the Attorney General had earlier decided not to frame criminal charges against the elephant owners.

He noted that the previous judge had made it clear that only the counsel's of de...