Friday Oct 09, 2026
Friday Oct 09, 2026
Friday, 9 October 2026 00:25 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Minister Bimal Rathnayake yesterday tabled in Parliament a 10-page list of 50 corruption, fraud, and criminal cases involving former Ministers, Rajapaksa family members, senior officials, Police officers, and businesspeople. He rejected claims that the Government was pursuing political revenge.
Rathnayake said the cases were not initiated by the present administration but arose from complaints and legal proceedings dating to the 2015-2019 period. Previous governments had allowed investigations to be suppressed through political influence, he said, whereas investigators now work free of political interference.
Former Ministers on the list include Johnston Fernando, Wimal Weerawansa, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Basil Rajapaksa, Rajitha Senaratne, Ravi Karunanayake, Prasanna Ranatunga, A.H.M. Fowzie, Bandula Gunawardana, and Rohitha Bogollagama. Rajapaksa family members named are Namal, Yoshitha, Gotabaya, Shiranthi, Rohitha, Chamal, and Shashindra Rajapaksa.
The largest sum cited relates to Nissanka Senadhipathi, over alleged unlawful possession of firearms through a private security company and losses reportedly of Rs. 11.4 billion. Basil Rajapaksa faces allegations over the spending of Rs. 3 billion in Divi Neguma funds on roofing sheets during an election period; he was acquitted by the High Court, and the Attorney General has appealed. Former Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga’s case concerns the use of Rs. 600 million in Telecommunications Regulatory Commission funds to distribute sil cloth during the 2014 Presidential Election. It has resulted in a conviction now under appeal.
The list also covers the Central Bank Bond transactions, involving former Central Bank of Sri Lanka Governor Arjuna Mahendran and businessman Arjun Aloysius. Other cases include Namal Rajapaksa’s alleged receipt of Rs. 70 million from India’s Krrish Group, alleged fraud exceeding $ 7 million in the MiG-27 aircraft procurement, and Rs. 234 million allegedly used to set up the Carlton Sports Network.
It further includes proceedings over the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, the killings of Lasantha Wickrematunge and Wasim Thajudeen, the disappearance of Prageeth Eknaligoda, and the attacks on journalists Keith Noyahr and Upali Tennakoon.
