Procurement of fake human immunoglobulin: Court impounds Keheliya’s passport, orders him to report to CID

The Maligakanda Magistrate Lochana Abeywickrema yesterday (1) impounded Environment Minister Keheliya Rambukwella’s passport and ordered him to report to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) today (2) in connection with the ongoing high profile investigation into the procurement of a consignment of fake human immunoglobulin last year.

At the time Rambukwella served as the health minister. The Magistrate issued the order after the CID brought to the notice of the court Minister Rambukwelle’s failure to report to the CID on Wednesday (Jan 31)

The minister said that he had not been able to report to the CID as he had to attend the proceedings of a case heard before the Colombo High Court as well as a ministerial sub-committee meeting convened at the Presidential Secretariat.Sources close to Rambukwella said that the minister requested the CID, in writing, to fix another date for him to provide his statement.

Against this backdrop, a group of civil society activists were arrested while staging Satyagraha in front of the CID Headquarters on Wednesday, demanding the immediate arrest of Rambukwella in connection with his alleged complicity in the procurement of substandard medicines.

Ten activists who were taken into police custody during the Satyagraha campaign were granted bail yesterday on the orders of the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court.The Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Health Dr. Saman Ratnayake, brother of SLPP Nuwara Eliya District MP C.B. Ratnayake was questioned by the CID officers for nearly 10 hours over the procurement of substandard medicines.