– Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama observed that the three-page medical report submitted to court by the Deputy Director of Health Services contained no indication that Shiranthi Rajapaksa was undergoing open-heart surgery or that such surgery had been recommended.Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama today ordered Shiranthi Rajapaksa, who is accused of misappropriating Rs. 10 million transferred from the National Savings Bank to the ‘Siriliya Saviya’ account in 2010, to be further remanded till October 16.The alleged misappropriation relates to a written request purportedly made by Rajapaksa to obtain a CT scanner for the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children.

The court was informed that, pursuant to a previous court order, the Prisons Superintendent had made a written request to the Director of the Colombo National Hospital, following which the Deputy Director of Health Services had submitted a three-page medical report to court.The Magistrate observed that the medical report contained no indication that Rajapaksa was undergoing open-heart surgery or that such surgery had been recommended.A medical panel has been appointed to assess the suspect’s health condition, and the Magistrate ordered that the panel’s report be submitted to court on Friday.

The Magistrate stated that a decision on whether to grant bail to the suspect would be announced on that day.