Supreme Court to hear Handunnetti’s FR petition against alleged Sugar Scam

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda

The Fundamental Rights petition filed by Minister Sunil Handunnetti, during his tenure as an opposition Parliamentarian, seeking an Order to recover Rs. 15.9 billion from those responsible for the alleged sugar import fraud in 2020, was yesterday fixed for support by the Supreme Court.  

A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Justice Shiran Goonaratne and Justice Sampath Abayakoon fixed the petition to be taken up for support on July 27.  

The petitioner is seeking an Order directing the Attorney General to recover Rs.15.9 billion from respondents and to credit the amount to the Consolidated Fund.  

The petitioner had named former Finance Ministry Secretary S.R. Attygalle, Sri Lanka Standard Institution Chairman Nushad Perera, Pyramid Wilmar (Pvt) Limited, Director of Pyramid Wilmar (Pvt) Limited Sajath Mawzoon, former Secretary to the President Dr. P.B. Jayasundara, the Chairman of Consumer Affairs Authority, and Attorney General as respondents in the petition.  

The petitioner is further seeking a Declaration that the Fundamental Rights of the Petitioner and the general public of Sri Lanka guaranteed by Article 12 of the Constitution are infringed by the respondents.  

The petitioner maintained that as a result of the scam a levy amounting to Rs. 15.9 billion was lost to the Government, which should have been in fact remitted to the Consolidated Fund.