தவறவிடாதீர்கள்..!உடனே பதிவு செய்யுங்கள்

BY M. MANOCHITRA

Minister of Health and Mass Media Nalinda Jayatissa stated that the government faces no barriers in extraditing high-profile individuals accused of financial fraud, including former Minister Basil Rajapaksa and former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran.

The Minister pointed out that if the state can successfully repatriate underworld criminals hiding overseas through diplomatic channels, bringing back these key suspects is entirely feasible.

Addressing the media in Colombo on Thursday, Minister Jayatissa elaborated on the process:

"Extraditing these individuals is a strictly judicial process. As a government, our responsibility is to provide the Attorney General's Department and the Police with all necessary facilities and the complete independence required to operate without interference.

Accordingly, our investigative officers will properly conduct the preliminary inquiries and file cases in court. Following this, the judiciary will independently make final determinations regarding bail or imprisonment."

When questioned whether the Sri Lankan government had received positive responses to its official requests from nations like the United States, the Minister noted that he did not possess specific, up-to-date data at that exact moment. "However, the government continues to receive full diplomatic support from international nations and Interpol to facilitate Sri Lanka's judicial proceedings," Jayatissa emphasized. "Consequently, several key criminals and suspects—whom the public might not even expect at this juncture—will be brought back to Sri Lanka very soon to stand trial. These legal actions will proceed swiftly and precisely, completely free from political interference," the Minister concluded.