Colombo [Sri Lanka], December 16 (HBTV): Sri Lanka’s bribery commission on Monday informed a court that former cricketer and minister Arjuna Ranatunga would be arrested and produced before court after being named as a suspect in an alleged corruption case that reportedly caused a loss of nearly INR 800 million to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), according to Sri Lanka’s Daily Mirror.
As reported by Daily Mirror, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) told the Chief Magistrate’s Court that steps were being taken to arrest Ranatunga. The disclosure was made by Assistant Director (Legal) Anusha Sammanthapperuma, appearing on behalf of the Bribery Commission, when former CPC Chairman Dhammika Ranatunga, who was arrested on corruption allegations, was produced before court.
Sammanthapperuma informed the court that three long-term tenders scheduled for the procurement of fuel for the CPC for the years 2017–2018 had been cancelled, and that a subsequent decision to proceed with spot tenders at higher prices allegedly resulted in a loss of nearly INR 800 million to the corporation. Based on these allegations, Dhammika Ranatunga was arrested and produced before court, Daily Mirror reported.
According to the submission, Dhammika Ranatunga, who served as CPC chairman, has been named as the first suspect, while former Minister of Petroleum Resources Development Arjuna Ranatunga has been named as the second suspect, with steps being taken to arrest both. On the arrest of Arjuna Ranatunga, Sammanthapperuma told the court that he could not be arrested and produced on Monday as he is currently overseas.
Seeking the court’s intervention, she requested an order to remand the suspect, stating that investigations into the incident are still ongoing. Daily Mirror further reported that President’s Counsel Saliya Pieris, appearing on behalf of the suspect, submitted that his client has been cooperating with the investigation and sought his release on bail under suitable conditions in terms of the Bail Act.
After considering the submissions, the Chief Magistrate ordered the release of the suspect on two sureties of INR 1 million each and imposed a foreign travel ban, Daily Mirror said. (ANI)