Mahedran to be tried in absentia if extradition talks fail; AGs Dept tells Court

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Attorney General on Monday (19) informed the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar that both the Sri Lankan and Singaporean AGs Departments are exchanging communication with respect to the extradition of fugitive Ex-Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran.

The Former Governor of the Central Bank is named as the 01st suspect in the 01st Bond Scam which took place on the 27th of February 2015.

The Attorney General informed the court that if these talks fail, the case will be carried forward with Mahendran in absentia.

This was announced in response to the question raised by the court on Monday (19).

Senior Additional Solicitor General Priyantha Nawana informed the court that the 10th suspect in the case Ajahn Gardiya Punchihewa, an Ex-Director of Perpetual Treasuries Limited who lives in Singapore, had moved to Malaysia and the case will be taken forward in his absence as well.

The Attorney General had filed this case against 10 suspects including former CBSL Governor Arjuna Mahendran, Perpetual Treasuries Limited owner Arjun Aloysius over the Bond Scam involving the Treasury Bond Auction on the 27th of February 2015 for causing a loss of Rs. 688 million to the government of Sri Lanka and several other charges.

The matter was called up in the presence of Justices Champa Janaki Rajaratne and Namal Balalle and the Attorney General was ordered to report the future course of action with regard to the case on the 22nd of September 2021.