Seven arrested for soliciting bribe from Janaka Ratnayake

Several officials, including the secretary of the Eksath Lanka Podujana Pakshaya, have been arrested by the Bribery Commission for soliciting a bribe of Rs. 30 million from former PUCSL Chairman and Presidential candidate Janaka Ratnayake. The election related bribery incident is the first of its kind leading up to the 2024 Presidential election.

The arrests took place in Borella yesterday while the party officials were allegedly accepting the bribe to secure Ratnayake’s nomination from the party.

The operation followed a complaint lodged by Citizen’s Movement Against Fraud, Corruption, and Waste Chairman Kamantha Thushara. Thushara reported the bribery attempt on behalf of Ratnayake, who is running for President as the candidate of the Eksath Lanka Podujana Pakshaya.

Earlier in the day,  Eksath Lanka Podujana Pakshaya Secretary Nihal Premakumara Deshapriya had submitted the security deposit for Ratnayake at the Election Commission.