Kumar Welgama swallowed Rs. 1.4 billion from buses

- Nov 30, 2015

Kumar Welgama, former transport minister and a leading figure in the Rajapaksa camp, has swindled Rs. 01 million from each of the buses purchased from India’s Ashok Leyland company. Finance minister Ravi Karunanayake is due to table in parliament tomorrow (01) how Welgama and transport ministry secretary at the time, billionaire businessman Dhammika Perera, swindled money in that mannertotal of Rs. 1.5 billion.

This swindling first came to light at the residential workshop on the budget for government MPs held at the last weekend. When Karunanayake revealed the details, Colombo district UNP MP S.M. Marikkar said, “This allegation too, will become yet another media hype. Investigations begin with a big noise made through the media. But, in the end, nothing happens. Do not allow this too, to end up like that. Punish the corrupt.”

Rising to his feet, Gampaha district MP Ranjan Ramanayake said fully supporting Marikkar, “Now, people laugh at us when we speak against corruption. They ask us as to who had been caught, as to who had been imprisoned in the past 10 months. It has come to a level that people do not take anything we say seriously. Mr. Finance minister, if you make this full exposure, we will fully support it.”

Accordingly, the finance minister will table tomorrow everything about the deal by Welgama and Perera. These details have been independently verified by the finance minister from officials of Ashok Leyland.

Commenting on this, sources close to businessman Perera said that he has no connection to this deal, and that he will fully support an investigation.

Becoming worried after getting to know this, Welgama has spoken to Mahinda Rajapaksa, who told him, “Go and see Tiru (Tiru Nadesan) as soon as possible. That man will do the needful through Malik.” All the corruption investigations in the past had become inactive in that manner.