(COLOMBO) – The daughter of former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, Chamithri Rambukwella on Wednesday lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) claiming that her father’s human rights have been violated due to his arbitrary arrest.
She told reporters outside the HRCSL that according to the legal principle of presumption of innocence, any person accused of any crime is considered innocent until proven guilty.
She said in normal practice, suspects are arrested only after concluding the investigations.
She said she hopes that the HRCSL will look into her complaint and mete out justice.
The former Health Minister is currently in remand prison on allegations that he had intentionally endorsed the purchase and import of sub standard life-saving pharmaceutical drugs from unregistered Indian companies.
The drugs were later distributed to State hospitals where several patients had complained of severe side effects after being administered with the drugs.
Rambukwella and several senior health officials were subsequently arrested for their alleged role in the scam and are also currently held in remand prison.
A local Magistrate has refused bail to all the suspects until the completion of the case that could take many months if not years.
Meanwhile the former Health Minister has filed a bail application in the Supreme Court challenging his detention.
The application is to be taken up for deliberation at the start of next month.
