News
Lankan HC in Delhi so far steers clear of case involving our ex-Miss Universe contestant’s tryst with Indian gangster
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The Sri Lankan High Commission in India says Indian authorities haven’t informed it of the involvement of Sri Lankan actress Jacqueline Fernandez, 36, in the high profile INR 2 bn extortion and money laundering case linked to conman named Sukesh Chandrashekhar.
Fernandez’s father is Sri Lankan and her mother is of Malaysian-Canadian descent.
The Island
yesterday (07) sought clarification from the Sri Lankan mission in New Delhi as regards the unprecedented involvement of a prominent Sri Lankan in such a case. The official said that Indian authorities hadn’t contacted the mission and it had not intervened in the matter.
India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED) has asked Fernandez to appear before investigators today (08).
When The Island asked whether the mission would take up Fernandez’s case with Indian authorities as she had been prevented on Sunday (05) from leaving for Dubai for a show, the official said that the mission was closely following the case.
The Indian media reported that Fernandez had received a gift of a horse estimated to be worth INR 5.2 mn and a Persian cat worth Rs INR 900,000 conman Chandrashekhar. According to these reports Fernandez who won the 2006 Miss Universe Sri Lanka pageant and represented the country at Miss Universe the same year had received gifts estimated to be worth INR 100 mn from the conman.
The official asserted that an intervention could be made in case an arrest was made.
The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the Prime Minister to recruit 2,284 to the government service as per the recommendations of the ‘Committee appointed to review the recruitment process of the Government Service at its meeting held on 14.11.2025.
1. Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education 196
2. Ministry of Health and Mass Media 480
3. Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and
Local Governments 04
4. Ministry of Finance, Policy Planning and Economic
Development 19
5. Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development 778
6. Ministry of Justice and National Integration 222
7. Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development 107
8. Ministry of Defense 73
9. Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources 20
10. Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs 21
11. Ministry of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development 36
12. Ministry of Buddha Shasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs
04
13. Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure
Facilities 02
14. Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation 74
15. Western Provincial Council 230
16. Uva Provincial Council 08
17. North Western Provincial Council 08
18. Finance Commission 02
Latest News
Cabinet green light to obtain a grant from the Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund for post – disaster relief and rehabilitation activities
On a request made by the government of Sri Lanka, the Asian Development Bank has given its concurrence to provide a grant of United States dollars 3 million under Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund.
It is expected to supply materials required for providing essential life security services for the communities affected, from the said grant.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the President as the Minister of Finance, Plan Implementation and Economic Development to enter into the relevant agreements with the Asian Development Bank to obtain the said grant.
Business
Cabinet approves establishment of two 50 MW wind power stations in Mullikulum, Mannar region
Adhering to the broad plan of the Government to reach the objective of accomplishing 70% of the country’s electricity supply from renewable energy sources by the year 2030, the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted on 10.02.2025 to invite requests for resolutions from interested developers of the private sector in order to implement the Mullikulum Wind Power – 100 Mega Watts (two (02) wind power stations of
50 Mega Watts each) on the basis of construction, ownership and execution with a monitoring period of 20 years.
Accordingly, requests for proposals have been called to implement the relevant project by adhering to the international competitive bidding methodology, and seven (7) prospective project proposals were submitted.
Evaluating the said proposals, based on the recommendations submitted by the negotiation committee appointed by the Cabinet of Ministers, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Power to award the contracts of establishing the two (02) 50 Mega Watts Wind
Power Stations to Consortium of Vidullanka PLC & David Pieris Motor Company (Lanka) Limited and WindForce PLC.
Cabinet approves recruitment of 2,284 to government service
Cabinet green light to obtain a grant from the Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund for post – disaster relief and rehabilitation activities
Cabinet approves establishment of two 50 MW wind power stations in Mullikulum, Mannar region
Cabinet approves the purchase of vehicles to improve the primary health care system across the island
Cabinet approves the transfer of the constructions and land reserved for the Kiinniya University to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism
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