The Fort Magistrate’s Court this afternoon ordered the remand of Sugeeshwara Bandara, former private secretary to former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, until July 1.
He was arrested by officers of the Central Crime Investigation Bureau in Kollupitiya this afternoon following a complaint filed by the Anti-Corruption Committee of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry with the Central Crime Investigation Bureau regarding a financial fraud committed under the Presidential Expenditure Head.
He is accused of receiving two salaries under the Presidential Expenditure Head while serving as a secretary to former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a retired President in 2022, and as a Project Director at the Presidential Secretariat during the same period when Ranil Wickremesinghe held the office of President. Accordingly, the investigators stated before the court that the suspect has committed offences under Section 5 (1) of the Public Property Act and the Penal Code.
He was arrested while returning from a meeting between IMF officials and members of the Joint Opposition this morning.
Sugeeshwara Bandara is also being investigated for misusing government vehicles and using its employees for political activities while holding the above positions. The Central Crime Investigation Bureau is conducting further investigations, the police said.