Bond scam case stalled due to Mahendran’s absence: Justice Minister

Justice Minister Ali Sabry

Arjuna Mahendran

Justice Minister Ali Sabry told Parliament yesterday that legal proceedings into the bond scam were stalled as former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran had left the country.

“Legal proceedings have started in the special High Court the last Government set up but the case can’t proceed as summons can’t be served on Arjun Mahendran who has fled the country,” Sabry said in response to a query from SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella.

Speaking during the Budget debate yesterday, Kiriella said the Government had promised to punish those involved in the bond scam but had failed to do so after a year in office. He said it was the same with regard to the Easter Sunday terror attacks.

“The investigation into the Easter Sunday attacks is like a teledrama. One day the former President appears, next the former Prime Ministers, then the IGP, but no one who carried out the attacks has been punished,” Kiriella said.

He added that the Government used the Easter attacks to come to power but wasn’t serious about punishing anyone responsible for them.