– Former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake, who was arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption over allegations that three employees recruited for a special project of the National Lotteries Board were deployed for his political activities, causing a loss to the Government, was today ordered to be released on bail by Colombo Additional Magistrate Liyan Warushavithana.The Magistrate ordered the suspect to be released on two surties of Rs. 1 million each and also imposed a travel ban on him.

The order was made after CIABOC officials made submissions when the case relating to the incident was taken up before court.Suspect, a sitting Member of Parliament, was arrested by CIABOC today when he appeared before the Commission to provide a statement in connection with the investigation.CIABOC informed court that suspect had been directed on four occasions to appear before the Commission in connection with the investigation, but had failed to do so. As a result, a team of CIABOC officers had visited his residence on August 29 and conducted an inquiry.

The Commission further informed court that although the suspect had repeatedly requested lengthy postponements despite being directed to appear before the Commission, when CIABOC officers visited his residence, they were informed that he had travelled to the Nuwara Eliya area for his daughter’s wedding.However, CIABOC informed court that subsequent investigations had revealed information indicating that the suspect was in the Hambantota area rather than Nuwara Eliya.

According to the investigating officers, the suspect had served as Minister of Finance from January 12, 2015, to May 22, 2017. During his tenure, he had allegedly, together with the then Chairman of the National Lotteries Board, Shyamala Perera, recruited three individuals on a contract basis two as Coordinating Officers and one as a Management Assistant, using funds of the NLB to pay their salaries.The officers alleged that the three individuals had been recruited under the pretext of being attached to a special project of the Ministry of Finance, while they had allegedly performed no services for the National Lotteries Board.

Nevertheless, the NLB had allegedly paid their salaries and allowances, resulting in a financial loss to the institution.CIABOC further informed court that the suspect had acted together with the first suspect to influence witnesses and requested that he be remanded in custody.Charges had been filed against the former Finance Minister for allegedly committing the offence of corruption under Section 70 of the Bribery Act, as amended by Act No. 20 of 1994.Appearing for the suspect, Senior Counsel Asoka Weerasooriya requested that his client be granted bail, submitting that suspect was suffering from several medical conditions.

Making further submissions, Counsel told court,”Your Honour, my client currently has five stents. The medical reports relating to an examination conducted at a hospital in Singapore on August 26, 2026, state that there is a possibility of placing three more stents in the future. My client also suffers from sleep aponia. He has also been infected with cellulitis, a serious bacterial infection, and therefore cannot stay in unhygienic environments.”

He further submitted that Dr. Gotabhaya Ranasinghe had prescribed medication that his client was required to take daily and that he was also receiving insulin for diabetes.“Since the first suspect in this case has already been granted bail, I respectfully request that my client too be released on bail,” He further told court that there was no reason for his client to evade the court proceedings and that several other cases involving him were also pending before higher courts.Having considered the submissions, the Colombo Additional Magistrate ordered the release of former Minister Ravi Karunanayake on bail.