Sajith asks how ordinary person fined Rs. 70Mn while MP fined Rs. 7.5Mn for similar offence

• Questions as to who was behind the imposition of the lesser fine for the MP
• How come the law applies differently to the MP and the ordinary citizen? Is this the system change? Who is the invisible hand behind this?

By Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera  

Claiming that an individual who smuggled 4.6 kgs of gold through the airport has been fined Rs. 70 million recently, whereas MP Ali Sabry Raheem who was caught with 3.39 kgs of gold had been fined only Rs. 7.5 million, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa questioned as to how the law applies differently to an MP and an ordinary citizen for a similar offence.  
He questioned in Parliament as to who was behind the imposition of the lesser fine for the MP in proportion to the value of the seized gold.  

Premadasa said the individual was fined Rs. 70 million for the gold worth Rs. 80 million while the MP was fined only Rs. 7.5 million for the gold worth Rs. 74 million.  

“How come the law applies differently to the MP and the ordinary citizen? Is this the system change? Who is the invisible hand behind this?” he questioned.  

The Opposition Leader said all the MPs abide by the code of ethics for MPs and added that the resolution agreed upon by all 224 MPs to force the MP in question to resign should be enforced.