The Colombo Fort Magistrate, Pasan Amarasena, today instructed the Illegal Assets Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to arrest former Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa and produce him before court in connection with allegations of misusing funds allocated to the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau.
The directive was issued when the case was taken up before the court.
During the proceedings, President’s Counsel Kalinga Indatissa, representing the third suspect, informed the court that his client was prepared to provide a confidential statement under Section 127 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
CID officers told court that Rs. 7.8 million allocated in 2014 for tourism promotional activities had allegedly been diverted to distribute 12,000 T-shirts during the Uva Provincial Council election, resulting in financial loss to the state.
The Magistrate also ordered the release of former Managing Director of the Tourism Promotion Bureau, Rumi Jaufer, who had been in remand custody, subject to two surety bails of Rs. 1 million each and imposed a foreign travel ban.
Investigators further informed court that charges have been filed under the Public Property Act.
The Magistrate inquired whether the Bureau’s Financial Director, named in the “B Report,” would also be named as a suspect, to which CID officials said they were awaiting instructions from the Attorney General.
The case is scheduled to be recalled on October 14.
