Bandula admits Lanka Sathosa scam, asks for impartial probe into allegations against him

Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardane yesterday (6) in Parliament requested Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to order the IGP and the CID to conduct an impartial investigation into his complaint with regard to the garlic scam.

The previous day, Minister Gunawardena admitted in Parliament that a massive scam had taken place at Lanka Sathosa Ltd.

Minister Gunawardane said that the CID had failed to record a statement from the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) official who made allegations against him over the garlic scam.

The Minister said that there was a political conspiracy behind the garlic scam and that the CID had failed to record a statement from the CAA official who made allegations against him over the said scam.

“When I see that the CID does not even record a statement from those who made such allegations although a lawmaker has lodged a complaint, whom should I take it to?” the Minister asked.

Gunawardena said so while making a ministerial statement in response to a question raised on Tuesday by Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa on the garlic scam.

The Opposition MPs raised objections to Minister Gunawardane for making such a statement in the House saying that there was a pending case in court on the matter.

However, the Speaker granted him permission to make the statement excluding matters pertaining to the case.

Minister Gunawardane said there was a political conspiracy behind the allegation and added that it was the Opposition that was trying to plant something called ‘garlic scam’.