India flags ‘illicit’ Krrish funds
Namal given bail in Airbus case
Indian authorities have flagged funds described as “illicit money” allegedly used in connection with the Krrish building project in Colombo, as the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) presented further details of its investigation involving Opposition Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa.CIABOC told the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court that a mutual legal assistance communication received from Indian authorities as part of a joint investigation into the transaction was currently in the possession of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
According to CIABOC, the Indian authorities had indicated in the communication that funds described as illicit money had been used in connection with the Krrish building project.The disclosure came as Rajapaksa, who has been named as the fourth suspect in the Krrish case, was ordered to be released on bail by Colombo Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena.The Magistrate ordered Rajapaksa to furnish a cash bail of Rs 500,000 and two surety bails of Rs 30 million each. He was also barred from leaving the country, with the Court directing that the travel-ban order be communicated to the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration.As a further condition of bail, Rajapaksa was ordered not to interfere with or influence witnesses in the case.CIABOC alleges that Rajapaksa received Rs 70 million as a bribe in connection with efforts to facilitate the transfer and development of the Urban Development Authority-owned Transworks Square property in Colombo Fort for Krrish Transworks Colombo (Private) Limited.
The alleged payment was made through Nimal Perera, whom investigators say acted with Rajapaksa’s knowledge and consent, according to CIABOC Assistant Director of Legal Affairs Ama Wijesinghe. She told the Court that Rajapaksa had also checked whether the money had been received.CIABOC further told the Court that Government institutions had processed aspects of the transaction at an unusually rapid pace, with the Board of Investment (BOI) approving the relevant documents within a single day.The Commission also told the Court that the Central Bank had invested approximately Rs 150 million in relation to the property, which it alleged had been disregarded when the land was subsequently made available through the UDA.Rajapaksa was named as a suspect in the Krrish case on Monday (28), while he was already in remand custody in connection with a separate Airbus-related money-laundering case. He was further remanded until 6 October in the Krrish case.
The defence has disputed the prosecution’s case and challenged the legality of the proceedings. President’s Counsel M.U.M. Ali Sabry, appearing for Rajapaksa, argued that the case had been initiated under the former Bribery Act, while the certificate relied upon by the prosecution had been issued under Section 149 of the newer Anti-Corruption Act.He also questioned how the certificate could have been filed on 18 September, before Rajapaksa was formally named as a suspect in the Krrish case.
Meanwhile, in the separate Airbus case, the Court had rejected Rajapaksa’s earlier bail application and ordered that he remain in remand custody until 13 October. CIABOC told the Court that investigations into the alleged USD 2 million Airbus bribe and the related money-laundering allegations had been completed.
The prosecution said the Attorney General is expected to consider filing a single indictment covering the bribery and money-laundering allegations.
