President appoints special committee to prove fraud and irregularities at SriLankan Airlines and AASL

• Stresses urgent need for thorough and impartial inquiry
• Emphasises lack of credible investigations into past misconduct severely undermined performance and public trust in both institutions

President Anura Kumara Disanayake has appointed a Special Presidential Investigation Committee to probe alleged incidents of fraud, corruption, and irregularities at SriLankan Airlines Ltd., and Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd., during the period from 2010 to 2025.

On 1 July, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the establishment of the Committee tasked to conduct a detailed and formal study of the financial operational activities of the national carrier, including areas such as aircraft leasing, recruitment practices, and other transactions (https://www.ft.lk/top-story/SriLankan-Airlines-under-fresh-probe-for-irregularities-from-2010-2025/26-778525). 

The President’s Media Division in a statement noted that Disanayake met with the members of the Committee on Tuesday at the Presidential Secretariat, where he stressed the urgent need for a thorough and impartial 

inquiry.

During the discussion, the President emphasised that the lack of credible investigations into past misconduct had severely undermined the performance and public trust in both institutions. 

He urged the Committee to carry out a swift investigation by examining all the facts related to these incidents and to provide a report with essential recommendations aimed at correcting the situation and preventing similar occurrences in the future.

The Special Presidential Investigation Committee Secretary/Convenor is Additional Secretary to the President K.N.M. Kumarasinghe. Other members include Retired Auditor General H.M. Gamini Wijesinghe, Retired Additional Director General of Customs Gnanasiri Senanayake, National Savings Bank Chairman Dushantha Basnayake, Attorney-at-Law Don Chaminda J. Athukorala, and Department of Public Enterprises Additional Director General N.A.H.K. Wijeratne.

The Committee will investigate alleged offences committed between 2010 and 2025 within SriLankan Airlines Ltd., and Airport and Aviation Services Ltd., including:

Bullets

Abuse of power and unlawful privileges by the Board of Directors and senior management of SriLankan Airlines.

Irregularities in awarding service contracts and the recruitment procedure.

Aviation security lapses.

Discrepancies related to duty-free shop transactions and overseas sales agents’ transactions and activities.

Administrative errors, corruption, irregularities, and/or external interference that negatively impacted the efficient operation of SriLankan Airlines.

Corruption and irregularities in the procurement and/or leasing or acquisition of aircraft, as well as goods and services exceeding Rs. 10 million by SriLankan Airlines during the period from 2000 to 2025.

The Committee is also tasked with identifying those accountable for the erroneous decisions, as well as the fraud, corruption, and irregularities, highlighted in the J.C. Weliamuna Committee Report and the Auditor General’s Special Investigation Report. 

The Committee aims to make recommendations for rectifying these issues and to offer essential guidance to avert similar situations from arising in the future.

Meanwhile, the appointment letters for the Convenor of the Committee and its members were handed over by Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.