COLOMBO (News 1st); The Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar on Tuesday (20) permitted the Attorney General to proceed with one case filed over the 2016 Central Bank Treasury Bond Scam with fugitive Ex-Governor Arjuna Mahendran and Ex-PTL Director Ajhan Punchihewa, in absentia.

The case was filed over the criminal misappropriation of Rs. 36.98 billion at the Treasury Bond auction in 2016 and several other indictments.

The matter was taken up in the presence of Justices Damith Thotawatte, Arjuna Thilakeratne, and Mohamed Issadeen.

Court recorded evidence from a Senior Officer from the Department of Immirgration and Emigration and the Criminal Investigation Department and confirmed that Mahendran and Punchihewa had left Sri Lanka and failed to return.

The bench permitted the Attorney General to proceed with the case with the two defendants in absentia.

The matter will be called up again on the 26th of August 2021.

In addition, the court also permitted counsel to appear for the rights of the 09th defendant in the case.

In addition the case filed over the criminal misappropriation of Rs. 15 billion at another Treasury Bond Auction in March 2016 against 10 defendants including Ex-Governor Arjuna Mahendran was called up at the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar on Tuesday (20).

The case was postponed to the 19th of August 2021 by a bench comprising Justices Amal Ranaraja, Namal Balalle, and Adithya Patabandige.

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