Keheliya asked to appear before CID today

• Court imposes travel ban on Keheliya   

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda   

The Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court yesterday issued an  order preventing former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella from  leaving the country.  

 The Court also issued an order directing him to appear  before the CID today (02) in order to record a statement over the  investigations into the import of substandard human immunoglobulin to the  country.

Magistrate Lochani Abeywickrama made this order after  considering a submission made by Deputy Solicitor General Lakmini  Girihagama.  
The Deputy Solicitor General informed court that former  Minister Keheliya Rambukwella was not present before CID last Wednesday  (31) despite he had been summoned by the CID to provide a statement  regarding the investigations.   

The Deputy Solicitor General informed the court that it was  revealed that the former Minister did not attend a meeting at the  Presidential Secretariat organized by the ministerial subcommittee on  the management of public expenditure. The former Minister had informed  that he failed to appear before the CID due to a meeting held at the  Presidential Secretariat.  

However, the Deputy Solicitor General informed court that the former Minister’s failure to attend the aforesaid meeting had been  confirmed by the secretary to the ministerial sub-committee on  management of public expenditure.  

She further said CID was in the process of verifying former  Minister Rambukwella’s claims that he also appeared before Colombo High  Court last Wednesday (31).   
Meanwhile, six suspects including former Health Secretary,  the Director of the Medical Supplies Division were ordered to be further  remanded till February 15 by Magistrate Lochani Abeywickrama. A Store  Keeper held in remand custody regarding this incident was ordered to be  released on bail.  

Meanwhile, ten civil society activists, who were taken into  police custody on Wednesday (31) while staging a ‘Satyagraha’ campaign  in front of the CID have been granted bail after being produced before  Colombo Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage.