Violation of Exchange Control Act:
Ravi K indicted
Sandasen MARASINGHE
United National Party (UNP) Parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake was
served indictment before the Colombo High Court yesterday for violating
provisions of the Exchange Control Act.
Colombo High Court Judge Deepali Wijesundara ordered to impound the
passports of Ravi Karunanayake and of two other accused. The Court also
granted them Rs. 100,000 each in cash bail and two sureties each of Rs.
1 million.
President’s Counsel Faisz Musthapa appearing for Karunanayake
requested before the Court not to impound Karunanayake’s passport as he
was a leading politician and public figure but Senior State Counsel
Dileepa Pieris objected. The Court observed that these were the bail
conditions that applied to all and refused the request by the defence
counsel.
The Court also ordered Karunanayake to submit his passport on Monday
to Court when the defence submitted that he had not brought his passport
to Court yesterday. The Attorney General filed indictment against Nexia
Corporate Consultants its consultant Lincoln Piyasena and Ravi
Karunanayake. Ravi Karunanayake was charged for aiding and abetting
Nexia Corporate Consultants of Park Road, Colombo 5 to withhold US$
three million.
The money in the Kirulapone Branch of the Standard Chartered Bank was
withheld between 2006 and 2007 without the permission of the Central
Bank.
According to the indictment Nexia had received US$ three million in
December 2006 and January 2007 from non resident Galleon International
Master Fund and also non resident Raj Rajaratnam and withholding the
money in Standard Chartered Bank on behalf of them violating provisions
of the Exchange Control Act.
Both Galleon International Master Fund and Raj Rajaratnam were from
the USA.
The US$ three million (Rs. 321 million) was received and withheld by
Nexia allegedly for the purchase of shares in the Union Bank of Colombo
without the permission of the Central Bank.
Administrative Manager of Nexia Corporate Consultants Ranjith de
Silva was produced before Court on behalf of the company. Senior State
Counsel Dileepa Pieris appeared for the prosecution.
Attorneys Ananda Weerasooriya and Sudath Jayasundara appeared for the
first accused, Attorney Anil Silva appeared for the second accused while
President’s Counsels M.L.M. Ameen and Faisz Musthapa appeared for the
third accused.
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