• The petitioner sought court’s permission to add Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa as a  respondent
• The petitioner is seeking an order to  recover a sum of Rs.15.9 billion from respondents and to credit it to the Consolidated Fund

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda  

The Fundamental Rights petition filed by former JVP MP Sunil Handunnetti seeking an order to recover a sum of Rs.15.9 billion from persons responsible for the alleged sugar fraud that took place when importing sugar in 2020 was yesterday fixed for support by Supreme Court.  

Supreme Court three-judge-bench comprising Justice Priyantha Jayawardena, Justice Murdu Fernando and Justice Yasantha Kodagoda fixed the petition to be taken up for support on July 27.  

The petitioner sought court’s permission to amend the caption of the petition in order to add Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa as a respondent.  

The petitioner is seeking an order directing the Attorney General to recover a sum of Rs.15.9 billion from respondents and to credit the concerned amount to the Consolidated Fund.  

The petitioner has named Finance Ministry Secretary S.R. Attygalle, Sri Lanka Standard Institution Chairman Nushad Perera, Pyramid Wilmar (Pvt) Limited, Director of Pyramid Wilmar (Pvt) Limited Sajath Mawzoon, Secretary to the President Dr. P.B. Jayasundara, the Chairman of Consumer Affairs Authority, Major General Shantha Dissanayake and Attorney General as respondents in the petition.  

The petitioner is further seeking a Declaration that the Fundamental Rights of the Petitioner and the General Public of Sri Lanka guaranteed by Article 12 of the Constitution are infringed by the respondents.  

President’s Counsel M.A. Sumanthiran appeared for the petitioner.