Colombo Fort Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake yesterday issued warrants for the arrests of former MP Ravi Karunanayake, Arjuna Mahendran, Arjun Aloysius and seven others in connection with the Central Bank bond scam. 

He said the arrest warrants were issued under Section 139 (3) and 139 (1) (a) of the Criminal Procedure Code. 

At least four students were injured when a van participating in a Big Match vehicle parade skidded off the road in Matara this morning, police said. 

He Attorney General today directed the acting IGP to obtain warrants for the arrest of several people including former minister Ravi Karunanayaka, former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran, Perpetual Treasuries Limited (PTL) owner Arjun Aloysius, PTL CEO Kasun Palisena and former Public Debt Department (PDD) Director Sarathchandra in connection with the Central Bank bond scam.

The second interim report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry appointed to probe Easter Sunday attacks was handed over to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat today (02).

The first interim report was handed over on December 20th, 2020.

The Commission was appointed by the former President Maithripala Sirisena on September 22nd, 2019 to investigate the series of attacks that took place on Easter Sunday same year and to recommend necessary actions.

A number of protesting groups from state institutions daily hold agitation campaigns in front of the Presidential Secretariat and as a result, the staff has to devote more time to these agitators than performing their duties, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said.

He said the relevant ministries should be held responsible for these demonstrations.

President Rajapaksa said this at a function held at the Parliament yesterday to present awards to government bodies with high performance.

He further said Parliament has full control over public funds and the media report cases regarding financial mismanagement found in certain government institutions.

“The Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) has an important role to play in revealing whether state assets are safeguarded against frauds occurring in excess of the expenditure approved by the Parliament,” he said.

Former Deputy Minister and LTTE's special commander for Ampara and Batticaloa Districts Vinaygamurthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman said on Saturday that it was he who persuaded President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa not to go ahead with the carving out of an Urban Council for the Sainthamaruthu region.

During a discussion held at the Karaithivu Vipulananda Cultural Centre in Ampara, he said that the Gazette notification on the institution of Sainthamaruthu Urban Council was issued on February 14, while a demand by Tamils to upgrade the Kalmunai North Divisional Secretariat had been ignored for the past 30 years.