8 February 2022 11:58 am Views - 5549
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has launched an investigation into a complaint against Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa over his personal trip to the Tirupati Temple in India using a private jet last year.
A complaint had been filed with the Bribery Commission by journalist Tharindu Uduwagedara on December 31st, 2021, requesting the launch of an investigation.
Accordingly, the CIABOC Secretary Apsara Caldera, in a letter dated February 2, 2022, has notified the journalist Uduwagedara that the Commission has decided to launch an investigation into the complaint.
The investigation is being reportedly launched to ascertain if the Prime Minister had obtained a bribe by accepting the private jet as a gift in violation of the Bribery Act.
On December 23, 2021, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa left for Tirupati, India on a two day personal visit on a private jet.
Earlier, the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff, Yoshitha Rajapaksa said that a friend of the Prime Minister gave him that aircraft free of charge for his trip to Tirupati.(Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya)