Govt. reaffirms commitment to extraditing ex-CBSL Chief Arjuna Mahendran

Wednesday, 26 February 2025 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Arjuna Mahendran

Cabinet Spokesman Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa acknowledges challenges but assures legal proceedings against Mahendran will continue even if he remains overseas
Claims former President Ranil Wickremesinghe bears responsibility for Mahendran’s return and key figure in legal proceedings

By Charumini de Silva

The Government yesterday reaffirmed its commitment to bringing back former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran to face trial over the infamous Bond scam. Addressing the media, Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa acknowledged ongoing legal challenges in extraditing Mahendran but assured that all necessary measures were being taken to facilitate his return.

Responding to questions posed at the post-Cabinet meeting media briefing, Dr. Jayatissa also noted that legal proceedings against Mahendran would continue, regardless of whether he is physically present in the country.

Mahendran, a Singaporean national, has been a fugitive since the Bond scam came to light in 2015. Despite multiple attempts by authorities to extradite him, he remains overseas.

The Cabinet Spokesman recalled that former President Ranil Wickremesinghe had previously told Parliament that Mahendran had left Sri Lanka under the pretext of attending a wedding in Singapore.

Dr. Jayatissa suggested that Wickremesinghe, who was Prime Minister and Finance Minister at the time, bore responsibility for ensuring Mahendran’s return.

“He (Wickremesinghe) is also bound beyond a mere responsibility in the Bond scam in terms of the sudden change in the process as well as the amount. Therefore, Wickremesinghe is a key figure in the Bond scam investigations and legal proceedings,” Dr. Jayatissa claimed.

The Government has faced mounting pressure to expedite the process, particularly as it was one of the key promises made by the NPP Government to bring the culprits involved in the Bond scam to books, while February also marks a decade since the scandal, which led to significant financial losses for the country.

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