Unanimous COPE report will be tabled in Parliament – Ajith P. Perera

A COPE report, on the Central Bank bond scam, unanimously agreed upon by all members will be presented to the Parliament on Friday (28), Deputy Minister Ajith P. Perera told Ada Derana.

There had been a division within the Committee On Public Enterprises (COPE) with regard to the report on the controversial Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) bond issuance while COPE chairman Sunil Handunnetti had reportedly walked out during the last meeting on Monday (24).

After exiting the meeting held to discuss last stage amendments relating to the COPE investigation, the JVP MP accused the UNP MPs in the committee of attempting to protect former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran.

“The COPE has disclosed former CB Governor Arjuna Mahendran’s direct involvement in the scam, yet the UNP group in COPE was pushing to reinvestigate the matter,” he claimed.

He also said that he is of the view the UNP members were attempting to defend the wrongdoers even though the COPE had already suggested the recommendations to be taken in this regard through a ‘common’ report submitted to the Parliament on 21 October.

There had been reports that there is a possibility of two separate reports being presented by the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) to the Sri Lankan parliament. 

COPE has recommended legal action against Mahendran’s son-in-law Arjun Aloysius and Directors of Perpetual Treasuries Ltd.

However, Aloysius maintains that he was not a Director of the Perpetual Treasuries Ltd. At the time of the CBSL treasury bond issue.