Some 21,000 pages of evidence documents accompany the Extradition Request now prepared by the Attorney General to bring back Central Bank Treasury bond scam first accused Arjun Mahendran from his last known place of residence in Singapore. Attorney General Dappula de Livera PC has officially tendered the Extradition Request to the Defence and Foreign Ministry in respect of former Central Bank Governor Arjun Mahendran in connection with the Central Bank bond scam case.
Coordinating officer to the Attorney-General, State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne told news media that the Attorney General tendered the Extradition Request for the purpose of giving necessary authentication and transmission to the Singapore Government for the purpose of the accused’s extradition.
On August 9, the Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar bench had issued a warrant written in English through the Interpol for the arrest of former Central Bank Governor Arjun Mahendran. He is currently evading courts by residing overseas, supposedly in Singapore.
State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne disclosed that Sri Lanka’s Extradition Request to Singapore, to be transmitted through the Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs included over 21,000 pages of supporting documents including the affidavits of the witnesses.
‘The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will now take the necessary steps to forward this Extradition Request to the Singapore government in the due course’, Jayaratna said.
The Attorney General had earlier sought a warrant in terms of Section 63 of the Criminal Procedure Code, since there are reasons to believe that the first accused Mahendran had absconded or would not obey the summons. The Attorney General had provided reasons in writing through an affidavit.
Criminal indictments have been filed against former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran, former Bank Deputy Governor P. Samarasiri, Perpetual Treasuries Limited (PTL), the PTL beneficiary owner Arjun Joseph Aloysius, PTL Chief dealer Kasun Palisena, Chairman of Perpetual Treasuries Limited Jeffrey Joseph Aloysius, PTL directors Pushya Mithra Gunawardena, Chitta Ranjan Hulugalle, Muthuraja Surendran and Ajahn Gardiya Punchihewa.
According to the indictments, all ten accused have been charged with conspiracy to commit criminal misappropriation in respect of Treasury bonds to the face value of Rs.10.058 billion. Mahendran and Samarasiri have been charged with criminal breach of trust in respect of Treasury bonds to the face value of Rs. 10.058 billion resulting in a loss to the government of Rs. 688,762,100.
Former Deputy Governor P. Samarasiri is accused of abetting the former Central Bank governor Arjuna Mahendran to commit criminal breach of trust in respect of Treasury Bonds.
The PTL is accused of insider dealing and criminal misappropriation in respect of Treasury Bonds to the face value of Rs 5 billion. Mahendran, Samarasiri, Aloysius, Palisena and the director board of PTL are accused of abetting PTL to commit insider dealing and criminal misappropriation.
The charges have been presented under the Public Property Act and Registered Stocks and Securities Ordinance. The Attorney General has named 115 individuals as prosecution witnesses and further listed 236 documents as production items.
The supporting evidence in the form of court productions is understood to number over 1 million pages of documents.
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