Chamara withdrew Provincial Council funds as per govt. circular: Ranil

By Yohan Perera   

Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday said that  the provincial council funds were withdrawn from banks during Chamara  Sampath’s tenure as Chief Minister in accordance with a circular issued  by the then government.   
 The former President also said that the Treasury  Secretary, with the knowledge of then President Maithripala Sirisena and  him as the Prime Minister, issued the relevant circular ordering that  Provincial Council funds could not be deposited in bank accounts.   
He said that not only the Uva Provincial Council but also other provincial councils have done the same thing.   The former President also said that Parliament should  conduct a probe into whether MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake’s privileges have  been violated.   
“Chamara Sampath is active in Parliament and does an  effective job as an opposition MP. His active role in Parliament may  have led to his arrest. Therefore, I request Parliament to conduct a  probe on it,” Mr. Wickremesinghe said in a statement.   
“Minister Samantha Vidyaratne lodged a complaint against MP  Dassanayake with the Bribery Commission. However, the commission has not found  him guilty nor he has been named as a suspect,” he added.  
 
Also, Mr. Wickremesinghe questioned as to how the MP was arrested during the time he was giving a statement.