Carrom Board Scandal: Aluthgamage, Nalin Indicted

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Colombo High Court today (21) served indictments against former Ministers Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Nalin Fernando, along with retired Major General Nanda Mallawarachchi, the former Secretary to the Ministry of Sports, over allegations of misusing public funds under the Public Property Act.

The charges relate to a controversial procurement during the 2014 presidential election period, where 14,000 carrom boards and 14,000 draughts boards were imported through the state-run Sathosa and distributed to sports clubs allegedly for political gain.

According to the Attorney General’s Department, the accused are alleged to have misappropriated over Rs. 3.9 million between September 1 and December 31, 2014.

The indictments were filed under the Public Property Act, and the court has scheduled the case to be taken up on September 4. The prosecution plans to present 42 witnesses and 11 items of evidence during the trial.

Following the serving of indictments, the court ordered the release of all three accused on bail. Each was granted a cash bail of Rs. 100,000 and two surety bails of Rs. 2.5 million.

High Court Judge Manjula Thilakaratne also instructed prison authorities to ensure the production of Aluthgamage and Fernando—both currently serving prison sentences—at the next hearing.

Deputy Solicitor General Madhava Tennakoon appeared for the Attorney General, while President’s Counsel Sanjeewa Rajaratnam, Nalin Ladduwahetty, and Saliya Peiris represented the accused.

The case follows a May 29 ruling by the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar, which sentenced Aluthgamage to 20 years and Fernando to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment over a separate fraud involving over Rs. 53 million related to the same procurement.