TISL considering fresh complaint as regards Paskaralingam

Pandora Papers:

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) inquiring into Pandora Papers’ disclosure of assets held by Thirukumar Nadesan and his wife, Nirupama Rajapaksa hasn’t been able to record her statement yet as she is overseas.

The CIABOC questioned Nadesan for two days. Well-informed sources told The Island that Thirukumar Nadesan had informed the CIABOC of his wife’s inability to appear before the outfit as she was abroad for medical reasons. Nadesan has assured that once returned she would appear before the CIABOC.

The Pandora Papers revealed assets held offshore by former Deputy Minister of Water Supply and Drainage Nirupama Rajapaksa and her husband Thirukumar Nadesan. As the investigation progresses, Pandora Papers have revealed how Ramalingam Paskaralingam one-time advisor to slain President Ranasinghe Premadasa, the late President Dingiri Banda Wijetunga and former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe created trusts and companies in the British Virgin Islands to hold millions of dollars, invested in the private Horizon College situated at Malabe and buy property in the U.K.

Sources said that an interim report on the issue at hand prepared by the CIABOC would be soon shared with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa as requested by the Director General of the Presidential Legal Division, Attorney-at-Law Harigupta Rohanadeera.

The President’s Office asked for a report from the CIABOC by Nov 06, 2021 in the wake of the Pandora Papers disclosures.

The CIABOC comprises retired Supreme Court Justice Eva Wanasundera, retired Court of Appeal Justice Deepali Wijesundera and retired DIG Chandra Nimal Wakista. The retired top policeman had served as the head of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) during the previous Rajapaksa administration.

In terms of the 20A to the Constitution, the Commissioners are named by the President.

Sources said that the CIABOC had received several complaints as regards the Pandora exposures in addition to the request made by the President’s Office. Responding to another query, sources said that their own investigation unit would continue to probe and was in touch with the relevant authorities.

Sources said the local case had taken a new turn with the disclosure of the Paskaralingam’s involvement as he served as an economic adviser to Wickremesinghe during the yahapalana administration. Paskaralingam also served Wickremesinghe from 2002 to 2004.

Transparency International Sri Lanka executive Director attorney-at-law Nadishani Perera yesterday told The Island that in the wake of Pandora Papers disclosure of Paskaralingam, the outfit would consider further steps in addition to the complaint lodged with the CIABOC as regards Nadesan and Nirupama Rajapaksa. Asked whether they would lodge another complaint, Perera said that it was an option. The top TISL spokesperson said that a much wider investigation involving relevant authorities was needed to probe the revelations properly.

TISL has written to the President, the Speaker of Parliament and the Elections Commission of Sri Lanka calling for the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities of Former Deputy Minister Nirupama Rajapaksa. The request was made under the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities law (1975) and the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities (Amendment) law (1988).