The personal bodyguards of two opposition parliamentarians were among four men arrested last week on charges of refusing to pay their bill at a Wellawatte restaurant where they had consumed liquor and also allegedly robbed Rs. 7,000 from the cashier, police said.

Police headquarters confirmed the arrests yesterday and said the suspects were due to be produced before a magistrate later.

An opposition spokesman said that if the suspects have committed any offence, they must be subject to the due process of law. But it would be wrong for anybody to attempt to smear the politicians with the offences committed by the bodyguards assigned to them.