AG to institute legal action against Minister Ravi Karunanayake

Colombo (News 1st): The Attorney General's Department informed Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne today (May 30), that it will be taking measures to institute legal action against Minister Ravi Karunanayake for providing false evidence before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Treasury Bond Issue. Senior State Counsel Lakmini Girihagama informed the court, that providing false evidence is an offence under article 189 of the Penal Code. She added charges will be filed against Minister Ravi Karunanayake after recording statements from him, his daughter Ornella Karunanayake and several others. Senior State Counsel Lakmini Girihagama said the investigations are yet to be completed due to the failure by respective parties to comply with the order issued by the court on February 28th to appear before the CID and provide details of all bank accounts and income of Global Transportation & Logistics owned by the family of Ravi Karunanayake. She requested the court to consider the fact that Ornella Karunanayake is not paying any interest to comply with the court order. She added both Minister Karunanayake and his daughter have informed they would appear before the Criminal Investigations Department on June 6th to provide statements for the on-going investigations. She requested for Ornella Karunanayake to be questioned when she appears before the CID as to why she failed to provide documents as per the court order. Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne instructed the Senior State Counsel to file charges against Ornella Karunanayake under Section 172 of the Penal Code for violating court orders if there is information to claim the order was ignored on purpose. Court ordered for progress on the investigations to be made available on August 29th. At the Bond Commission, when questioned about purchasing a luxury penthouse in Colombo, Karunanayake under oath said he was not aware of the purchase and it was done by his family.