By Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, and 39 others will be answerable for economic crimes if the fundamental rights petition is ruled in favor of the petitioners.
The Supreme Court has granted leave to proceed with fundamental rights petitions to take legal action against those responsible for the mismanagement of the economy.
The Supreme Court had earlier decided to name former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa as a respondent in the petitions since presidential immunity does not applicable to him following his resignation from the post of President.
Three university academics, Sri Lankan swimmer and coach Julian Bolling, former Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Chandra Jayaratne, Transparency International and Jehan Canaga Retna filed these petitions.
The petitioners had named 39 individuals including former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, former Secretary to the President P.B. Jayasundara, former Governors of the Central Bank Ajith Nivard Cabraal and W.D. Lakshman, former Ministry of Finance Secretary S.R. Atygalle and Cabinet of Ministers as respondents. Legal observers say that this could be a landmark case.
