A Fundamental Right petition filed by former Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga seeking an Interim Order to recall the warrant issued to arrest him by the Colombo Fort Magistrate was re-fixed for support on October 19 by the Supreme Court today.
The Three-judge-bench comprised of Justice Buwaneka Aluvihare, Sisira de Abrew and Justice Anil Goonaratne.
At a previous occasion, the Attorney General was given further time to seek a possibility of releasing funds from several frozen bank accounts belonging to Udayanga Weeratunga following his request to do so.
On October 20 last year, the Colombo Fort Magistrate issued a warrant written in English through the Interpol to arrest UdayangaWeeratunga, a first cousin of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa over a financial fraud which was alleged to have taken place in procuring seven MiG-27 ground attack crafts for the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLFA).
Udayanga Weeratunga filed this petition through his mother-in-law Latha Indrani, the power of attorney holder of the petitioner.
In his petition, Udayanga Weeratunga has stated that he is currently residing in Mekhanizatoriv Street Kyiv, Ukraine.
The petitioner further sought an Interim Order restraining the Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Central Bank from suspending the petitioner’s bank accounts and continuing to suspend the bank accounts.
The petitioner stated that the seventh respondent, a Chief Inspector of the FCID had moved Magistrate’s Court for a warrant for the arrest of the petitioner.
The petitioner sought a declaration from the Court that the Chief Inspector infringed the petitioner’s Fundamental Rights guaranteed in terms of Articles 11, 12(1) and 13 of the constitution.
The petitioner further said the Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Central Bank has infringed his Fundamental Rights guaranteed in the Constitution by the purported decision to suspend debit transactions from the bank accounts of the petitioner in contrary to the provisions of the Financial Transaction Reporting Act No. 6 of 2006.
In his complaint to the FCID, journalist Iqbal Athas stated that he had written several articles regarding the financial irregularities that had taken place in procuring four Mig-27 aircrafts at a higher price. He told the police that these ground attack aircrafts were manufactured between 1980 and 1983.
President's Counsel Manohara de Silva appeared for the petitioner.
Additional Solicitor General Yasantha Kodagoda PC appeared for the Attorney General.
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