Why was Mahindananda prevented from leaving the country?

• Controller General of Immigration and Emigration says there was a travel ban on the MP due to wrong data

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya

 MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage was prevented from leaving the country at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake citing a travel ban because the passport data of Aluthgamage at the Immigration and Emigration Department’s data system included information of another person.  

   The MP arrived at the BIA on Friday night to leave the country on a personal visit, but was stopped from proceeding through immigration stating there is a foreign travel ban imposed by the Mathugama court.   

 Controller General of Immigration and Emigration Harsha Ilukpitiya said that a travel ban was enacted against the MP because wrong data was included.   

 Accordingly, the duties of the female officer who entered the relevant information into the system has already been suspended, he said.   

 Also, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SLCERT) had launched an investigation into the incident, the Controller General said.