Corruption at SriLankan Airlines and AASL from 2010 to 2025: Special committee appointed

23 July 2025 11:51 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 15 Bookmark

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Colombo, July 23 (Daily Mirror) - President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed a Special Presidential Investigation Committee to probe serious allegations of fraud, corruption, and administrative irregularities at SriLankan Airlines Limited and Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Private) Limited.

The newly formed committee met with President Dissanayake yesterday (July 22) at the Presidential Secretariat for an initial briefing. During the meeting, the President emphasized that longstanding mismanagement and the lack of proper investigations have significantly undermined the effectiveness of both institutions.

“The absence of a thorough and independent inquiry has allowed these irregularities to persist unchecked,” the President stated, urging the committee to conduct a swift, comprehensive investigation and deliver a report with actionable recommendations to restore accountability and prevent future misconduct.

K. N. M. Kumarasinghe, Additional Secretary to the President, has been named Secretary and Convenor of the committee.

The committee’s members include: H. M. Gamini Wijesinghe, Retired Auditor General, Gnanasiri Senanayake, Retired Additional Director General of Customs, Dushantha Basnayake, Chairman of the National Savings Bank, Don Chaminda J. Athukorala, Attorney-at-Law and N. A. H. K. Wijeratne, Additional Director General, Department of Public Enterprises

The scope of the investigation spans from 2010 to 2025, focusing on both SriLankan Airlines and Airport and Aviation Services. Key areas under scrutiny include:

Abuse of power and misuse of privileges by senior management and board members
Irregularities in awarding contracts and recruitment processes
Aviation security breaches
Anomalies in duty-free operations and dealings with overseas sales agents
Corruption and mismanagement in procurement, leasing, or acquisition of aircraft and services exceeding Rs. 10 million dating as far back as the year 2000

The committee will also examine findings from previous investigations, including the J. C. Weliamuna Committee Report and the Auditor General’s Special Investigation Report. One of its core mandates is to identify individuals accountable for the financial and administrative misconduct and propose corrective

Comments - 15

gunadasa kaggoda Wednesday, 23 July 2025 02:26 PM

Things look going in the correct direction. May the Present members of the Govt. under the leadership of AKD be blessed with celestial vision to put the country in right tract. There are many still suffer in animal level even those including innocent underworld misguided/animals due to ... you know Mina and the clan.

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Harsha Wijewardene Wednesday, 23 July 2025 02:31 PM

Srisunken drainlines a big drain on tax payers money. Burning cash, corrupt from top to bottom. Overstaffed with lazy political lackeys.

1 3

Down Under Thursday, 24 July 2025 07:28 AM

This is because of years of mismanagement, corruption and various other fraud. Look around other airlines and they are all making money so one wonders why Sri Lankan cannot.

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Dr Tissa Fernando Wednesday, 23 July 2025 02:36 PM

I welcome this move there should be a proper trial all involved loss Sri Lankan airlines SriLankan Airlines advocating for a trial for those involved in the airline's losses and suggesting the seizure of assets and bank accounts of those responsible, while also expressing admiration for Emirates airlines the ultimate winner - Long live AKD

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Jiwan Wednesday, 23 July 2025 10:36 PM

Hello Doctor, You feeling ok?

0 0

Dr Soori Maripalan Thursday, 24 July 2025 05:58 AM

PKD you mean.

0 1

Sambo Wednesday, 23 July 2025 07:41 PM

This country is full of corruption. It's like a cancer. From politicians, public officers, business companies and traders are the most corrupt entities in this country.

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Kandaih Balendran Friday, 25 July 2025 02:29 PM

Ceylon Chamber of Conmen.

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Coinstan Paranawithana Wednesday, 23 July 2025 07:57 PM

Please also check on Advertisng procurement and expenditure. The process is corrupt and very similar to Sri Lanka tourism. Wasted money.

0 4

Prince Wednesday, 23 July 2025 08:44 PM

Excellent, excellent, excellent. Thank God for NPP.

2 3

Jeramy Perera Thursday, 24 July 2025 08:05 AM

Sri Lankan Airport division is a mess now. Deepal Palhengoda and Sanjeewa Jayathilaka taking money from the gurami cases.

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Sumudu Priyankara Thursday, 24 July 2025 12:01 PM

Hi Jeramy, Is it the same Sanjeewa who was the Australia country manager and defaulted Australian Tax office Australian dollars 200,000? He was working in Australia without a proper working visa

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Jayden Pererira Thursday, 24 July 2025 12:08 PM

Wow is this real or am I dreaming. Will this be another opportunity going down to expose the corrupted culprits at Sri Lankan airlines. Will they investigate how Dimuthu Tennakoon then Head of Commercial gave Jetwing to sell the quarantine packages and made Sri Lankan Holidays loose USD500000 revenue in the month of August 2022. Sri Lankan Holidays earned a profit of USD1 million in four months and by giving this to Jetwing. Sri Lankan holidays lost of earning profits for the airline How Samantha Nagahawatta then Regional Manager earned billions by giving Quarantine packages to a third party and also claiming with bogus bookings Both went to Audit committee and also Auditor department. However the investigations were stopped halfway as money talks.

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Apsara Tennakoon Thursday, 24 July 2025 05:02 PM

will they investigate Dimuthu Tennakoon's mal practices? 1)Discreetly sending V. Ravindran to Australia as the country Manager on the night before the presidential election so that he could keep Sri Lankan Aviation as the GSA in Australia. V. Ravindran came to Australia without a valid visa and then changed his visa to a proper working Visa. Sri Lankan had to bear a cost of AUD29000 (Sri Lankan rupees 70 lakhs) and has to spend another AUD8000 (LKR16 lakhs) for his visa. This payment was done to Susantha Katugampola’s firm. 2)By keeping Sri Lankan Aviation as the GSA, the loss Sri Lankan is making is more than the loss due to the Airbus deal. On an average the GSA is earning AUD200–250k per month and on peak months they earn around AUD500-600k per month. 3)Ravi and Dimuthu stated that GSA is incurring AUD210k for the office space as rent, however the same building same size office will only cost AUD62k per year as rent. Hope the commission has the balls to investigate these.

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MM Shantha Thursday, 24 July 2025 07:30 PM

I heard V. Ravindran was posted to Singapore but his work visa got rejected due to no proper qualifications and not meeting the criteria. The appeal was all rejected. How come they post the same person again to Australia?

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