Bribery Commission granted time to file comprehensive report

Wasantha Ramanayake

The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted time to the Bribery Commission to file a comprehensive report on disclosing the investigations into the complaints made against the Director General of Health Services and a medicinal drug dealer.

The Bench comprised Justice Ms. Shirani Thilakawardane, Justice Saleem Marsoof PC and Justice K. Sripavan. The court noted that it would only make an order after the respondent Bribery Commission files the report.

The court made the order when counsel Dishna Gurusinghe for the Bribery Commission submitted that the commission had received the complaints made by the petitioner and that the charges are being framed in connection with one complaint and other is being investigated. But she had not produced any report in that respect.

Petitioner Arushan Raninkumar of Hillside Tea and Pharmaceutical Suppliers Ltd., cited Chairman and the members of the Bribery Commission, its Director General Health Services Director General Dr. Ajith Mendis and V. Nadaraja as respondents.

The petitioner filed the case compelling the Bribery Commission to commence investigations into the allegations of bribery and corruption involving Director General of the Health Services Dr. Ajith Mendis and Pharmaceutical importer V. Nadaraja of Pharma Associates of Colombo 11.

The petitioner further stated that sixth respondent imported and supplied substandard drugs to the government hospital causing the government millions of rupees with the backing of the fifth respondent.

The petitioner stated although several complaints were made against the respondents with the Bribery Commission they failed to take action. Kanishka Vitharana and A.A. Senevirathne appeared for petitioner. Romesh de Silva PC appeared for the fifth respondent. The case will be called on July 9.