Former Health Secretary Janaka Chandragupta remanded

Saturday, 28 June 2025 01:08 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Former Health Ministry Secretary Janaka Sri Chandragupta

Colombo Magistrates Court on Thursday ordered to remand former Health Ministry Secretary Janaka Sri Chandragupta till 8 July in connection with an ongoing investigation into the alleged accumulation of illicit assets.

The order was issued by Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali Jayathunga following the arrest by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).

Appearing for the Bribery Commission, Counsel said that the suspect had fraudulently underreported the value of certain assets. One such instance involved a Rs. 1.45 million donations made for the construction of a Buddha statue at a temple in Panadura, which was later recorded as Rs. 3.5 million.

The Commission argued that false declarations and undue influence on witnesses were part of a deliberate attempt to conceal the origins of unexplained wealth.

It was further revealed that the suspect had purchased a property for Rs. 9.2 million, but declared it as Rs. 4 million, and that, according to his wife’s statement a Rs. 9.2 million cash transaction had taken place.

The defence, represented by Counsel Nuwan Jayawardena, argued that his client was a career public servant with 35 years of service and had used legitimately earned funds and public donations for religious purposes.

He denied any wrongdoing, noting that the money had been deposited into his wife’s account and originated from foreign scholarships.

The Bribery Commission informed the Court that there was no evidence in bank records of third-party donations, and that the funds in the suspect’s accounts were inconsistent with his known income. The Commission added that some of the funds were being paid in instalments toward personal loans, raising concerns over the legitimacy of the assets.

Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event including Valentine ’s Day. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Flower Bouquets, Clothing, Watches, Lingerie, Gift Sets and Jewellery. Also if you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.