By The Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court has imposed a travel ban on former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwalla and ordered him to report to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to record a statement.
The court heard that the former minister is not cooperating with the investigation into the fake immunoglobulin drug case.
The minister claimed that he needed to attend court cases in the High Courts and participate in a cabinet subcommittee meeting on the previous day. However, Deputy Solicitor General Lakmini Girihagama informed the magistrate that this statement was not true.
The Deputy Solicitor General clarified that the court matters had finished by 1:05 pm and the minister had not attended the Cabinet Subcommittee meeting.
The lawyer representing the Minister attempted to explain the situation, but the Magistrate overruled him without allowing him a full opportunity to speak.
The magistrate stated that she would not accept any excuses.
Meanwhile, the six other suspects, including former Health Ministry Secretary Janaka Chandragupta, were further remanded until February 15th.
Chandragupta was arrested by the CID on December 18th, 2022, while arriving at their office to record a statement regarding the substandard human immunoglobulin scandal that occurred during his tenure as Health Secretary. Investigations revealed that payments were made even before cabinet papers were presented by the Minister.
On December 14th, 2022, Maligakanda Magistrate Lochani Abeywickrama deemed the actions of the former Health Secretary regarding the procurement process of the batch of “substandard” human intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG).
