Withdrawal of US$ 324 Mn. case against SCB: Pressure or corruption, asks Ravi K

By Zacki Jabbar-June 27, 2013

 

The UNP yesterday questioned as to why the Central Bank had withdrawn a US$ 324 million case against the Standard Chartered Bank for alleged exchange control regulation violations. 

 

Was it due to pressure applied on the Central Bank by a higher up or was corruption the reason, Senior UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake queried during a press conference in Colombo. 

 

He noted that the allegation of US$ 324 million being smuggled out of the country was a serious charge and assumed greater importance considering the fact that the government’s massive debt burden was rising by the day.

 

When those  critical of the Rajapaksa regime  received remittances from abroad, through the proper legal channels  they were harassed and even taken to courts, but the authorities acted as if  it was none of anyone’s business despite a US$ 324 million case being withdrawn, the MP observed.

 

Karunanayake said that he would write to the Committee on Public Enterprises requesting a thorough inquiry into the matter.