Colombo Fort Magistrate Court has ordered the arrest of former minister and founder of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), Basil Rajapaksa, in connection with a case involving the alleged misuse of public funds amounting to more than Rs. 7.8 million.
According to local media reports, the court issued the order following an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of funds belonging to the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB).
The case relates to allegations that Rs. 7.8 million in public funds had been utilised for political advertising activities during the 2014 Uva provincial council election.
Reports stated that the court directed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to arrest and produce Basil Rajapaksa before the court in connection with the matter.
Investigators reportedly told the court that attempts had already been made to locate and arrest the suspects at their known residences. However, officers of the CID informed the court that the individuals were not present at those locations at the time.
The Magistrate also granted a request by the CID to impose foreign travel bans on the suspects and directed that the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration be notified of the order.
The case stems from allegations that funds allocated to the SLTPB for tourism promotion activities were diverted for political purposes during the 2014 election campaigns, where approximately 12,000 T-shirts were printed using SLTPB funds.
The CID informed court that the printed material allegedly contained political content, with one side featuring an image of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa and the other displaying the name of a political party.
Further proceedings are expected to take place after the execution of the court order.