Welgama’s FR re-fixed for support

The Supreme Court yesterday re-fixed for support for February 22, a Fundamental Rights petition filed by former Transport Minister Kumara Welgama.

Kalutara District UPFA parliamentarian Kumara Welgama had sought an order preventing FCID from arresting and remanding him in connection with alleged financial frauds said to have taken place at the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB)while awarding several tenders to two private companies to supply bus spare parts since 2011 to 2015.

Through this petition, Welgama sought the intervention of the Supreme Court to exercise the fundamental rights jurisdiction to prevent an imminent arrest of him over the magisterial inquiry at Colombo Magistrate’s Court No 3 (B/43481/3/15).

In his petition, the former Minister had cited FCID Chief Inspector (Unit 7) C.I. Ranasinghe, ASP P.K. Serasinghe, DIG Ravi Waidyalankara,police chief N.K. Illangakoon and the Attorney General as respondents.

Welgama sought an order and declaration that collective acts of the first to fourth respondents causes an imminent infringement of his Fundamental Rights guaranteed under Article 12(1), 12(2), 13 (1) of the constitution.