Cabinet Spokesman says Need to rectify legal barriers through Parliament in extraditing Mahendran

By Ajith Siriwardana

Claiming that the extradition laws have been a barrier for bringing down former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran from Singapore, Cabinet Spokesman Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said yesterday the government needs to rectify the barriers through Parliament.

• Says will make every possible diplomatic intervention for extraditing Mahendran

He told the weekly Cabinet briefing that the government would make every possible diplomatic intervention for extraditing Mahendran.   

Responding to a question, the minister said the government would expedite the investigations regarding the Central Bank bond scam adding that no one responsible for the bond scam allegations would be allowed to go scot free.   

“We will expedite the investigations and bring all those responsible to book. We will not allow anyone to go scot free,” he said.  The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court yesterday issued a notice directing former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran to appear before the court on February 25, 2025.   

Colombo Chief Magistrate Thilina Gamage issued this order in connection with an alleged corruption case filed by the Bribery Commission concerning the investigation into the 2015 Central Bank bond scam.