Ravi Karunanayake arrest follows a Bribery Commission probe into five National Lotteries Board recruits, while his defence rejects the allegations.
The Ravi Karunanayake arrest took place this afternoon, August 31, after the former Finance Minister and Parliamentarian appeared before the Bribery Commission and provided a statement.
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption is investigating the recruitment of five officials on a contract basis outside the approved procedures of the National Lotteries Board.
Investigators are also examining allegations that the officials were subsequently deployed for activities outside their approved duties.
However, Karunanayake’s defence disputes that interpretation. It maintains that the five officials worked legally as Special Project Coordination Officers on Corporate Social Responsibility projects.
Ravi Karunanayake Arrest Follows Lengthy Statement
Karunanayake appeared before the Commission at approximately 8.15 am today after receiving a summons.
Officials recorded a lengthy statement before taking him into custody later in the day.
He had reportedly failed to appear before the Commission on several earlier occasions despite receiving notices.
Investigating officers also searched his residence on Rajamalwatta Road, Battaramulla, on August 29 as part of the inquiry.
Former National Lotteries Board Chairperson Sharmila Perera had previously been arrested in connection with the same investigation. A court later released her on bail.
Defence Says Officials Worked on CSR Projects
Karunanayake’s side says the officials were recruited within the applicable legal framework as Special Project Coordination Officers.
According to the defence, they supported CSR programmes implemented jointly by the National Lotteries Board, Ministry of Finance and Presidential Secretariat.
Their responsibilities reportedly included coordinating the “Niroga” lottery project, which was introduced to strengthen the Kidney Fund at the Presidential Secretariat.
The defence says the officials also worked on community welfare programmes that supplied clean drinking water to people in the North-Central and Eastern Provinces.
It further maintains that the officials’ attendance records were properly maintained and regularly submitted to the National Lotteries Board.
Karunanayake’s side argues that the investigation into these public welfare programmes, which it says had been evaluated and recognised, is politically motivated.
The Ravi Karunanayake arrest now moves the investigation into its next legal stage.
The former Minister is expected to be produced before the relevant Magistrate’s Court for further proceedings.
