A motion has been filed in the Sri Lankan Supreme Court seeking an interim order restraining the country’s former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Minister Basil Rajapaksa and two others from leaving the country without the prior approval of the Supreme Court.
Besides, Mahinda Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa the motion was filed against former Central Bank Governors Ajith Nivard Cabraal, W.D. Lakshman and former Secretary to the Ministry of Finance S.R. Atygalle pursuant to a Fundamental Rights petition filed by Sri Lankan swimmer and coach Julian Bolling, former Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Chandra Jayaratne, Transparency International and Jehan Canaga Retna, Daily Mirror reported. The petitioners filed the petition in the Supreme court through Attorney-at-law Upendra Gunasekera seeking an order to take legal action against those responsible for financial irregularities and mismanagement of the Sri Lanka economy.
The petitioners requested that this petition be fixed for July 14, since there is a grave urgency involved in the matter. On July 6, the Supreme Court fixed this petition to be taken up for support on July 27. The petitioners maintained that they have been reliably informed that some of the above respondents may leave the country and thereby avoid giving information sought by the petitioners and consequently prevent the proper investigation, Daily Mirror reported.
Accordingly, the petition will be taken before the Supreme Court on Thursday to support the interim relief Court.
The petitioners stated, “Irreparable loss, harm and prejudice would be caused to them and the citizens of Sri Lanka unless court the interim relief sought in the application is granted.”
On behalf of the petitioners, President’s Counsel Chandaka Jayasundere will appear before the court.
This comes after Sri Lanka’s former finance minister Basil Rajapaksa, who is the youngest brother of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, was stopped from boarding a flight to Dubai on Monday evening.
Basil reportedly attempted to leave Sri Lanka amid the ongoing economic crisis in the country but airport immigration officials refused to let him leave the country following the protests by passengers, Daily Mirror reported. Upon immigration officials’ refusal, Basil had to return without being able to proceed, the report added.
This development comes a day after Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena clarified that Gotabaya Rajapaksa is still in the country, soon after reports emerged that the President has left the island nation.
Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa, who announced his resignation on Saturday, was earlier said to have fled and was in a third country.