The Supreme Court on Wednesday (24) granted leave to proceed in petitions filed challenging the establishment of the Financial Crime Investigation Division.
The petitions were filed by Ven. Elle Gunawansa Thero, Professor Carlo Fonseka, and former Minister Basil Rajapaksa seeking an order to suspend the operation of the gazette notification on setting up of the FCID.
Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa last month also filed a Fundamental Rights (FR) application challenging the legality of establishing the FCID.
Through the application, Gotabaya has sought intervention of the Supreme Court to prevent his imminent arrest pending and/or on the conclusion of the several purported investigations by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Commission to Investigate Bribery and Corruptions and/or the Frauds and Corruption Investigations Division (FCID).
The respondents in the petition include the Cabinet of Ministers, Secretary to the President, Inspector General of Police, Deputy Inspect General of Police (Frauds and Corruption Investigative Division), Director of the CID, and the Attorney General.
