First Bond Scam Case to be heard in the absence of Arjun Mahendran: AG
19 July 2021 01:16 pm
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The Attorney General today told the court that the prosecution is expecting to hear the first Central Bank bond scam that took place in February 2015 in the absentia of former Central Bank Governor Arjun Mahendran, if he cannot be brought here under the extradition laws.
Additional Solicitor General Priyantha Nawana appearing for the Attorney General informed Colombo Permanent Trial-at-Bar that Attorney General's department has already been sent documents to the Singapore Attorney General’s Department regarding Arjun Mahendran’s extradition.
In reply to a query made by High Court Judge Champa Janaki Rajaratna, ASG Nawana said the prosecution would request to hear the case in the absentia of Arjun Mahendran if there are no positive results regarding his extradition.
Accordingly, the case against former Central Bank Governor Arjun Mahendran and nine others in connection with the first Central Bank bond scam was postponed for September 22 by the Permanent Trial-at-Bar bench comprising High Court Judges Champa Janaki Rajaratna and Namal Balalle.
The Permanent Trial-at-Bar bench has already issued a warrant written in English through Interpol for the arrest of former Central Bank Governor Arjun Mahendran who is currently evading courts by residing overseas in connection with the Central Bank bond scam case.
The indictments have been filed in this case against former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran, former Bank Deputy Governor P. Samarasiri, Perpetual Treasuries Limited (PTL), the PTL beneficiary owner Arjun Joseph Aloysius, PTL Chief dealer Kasun Palisena, Chairman of Perpetual Treasuries Limited Jeffrey Joseph Aloysius, PTL directors Pushya Mithra Gunawardena, Chitta Ranjan Hulugalle, Muthuraja Surendran and Ajahn Gardiya Punchihewa.
According to the indictments, all ten accused have been charged with conspiracy to commit criminal misappropriation in respect of treasury bonds to the face value of Rs.10.058 billion and Mahendran and Samarasiri have been charged with criminal breach of trust in respect of Treasury Bonds to the face value of Rs. 10.058 billion resulting in a loss to the government of Rs. 688.76 million.
Former Deputy Governor P. Samarasiri is accused of abetting the former Central Bank governor Arjuna Mahendran to commit a criminal breach of trust in respect of Treasury Bonds. The PTL is accused of insider dealing and criminal misappropriation in respect of Treasury Bonds to the face value of Rs 5 billion. Mahendran, Samarasiri, Aloysius, Palisena and the director board of PTL are accused of abetting PTL to commit insider dealing and criminal misappropriation.
The Charges have been presented under the Public Property Act and Registered Stocks and Securities Ordinance. The Attorney General has named 115 individuals as prosecution witnesses and further listed 236 documents as production items. The supporting evidence in the form of court productions is understood to number over 1 million pages of documents.