The Joint Opposition today urged the government to immediately freeze all the assets and funds of Perpetual Treasuries Limited, the controversial primary dealer connected to the Central Bank bond scam. 

This is not just a bond scam, it has become seriously harmful to the entire financial system of the country, MP Dinesh Gunawardena said.

He called on the President and the government to immediately freeze all the assets and funds of the Perpetual Treasuries Limited, claiming that they have been illegally earned.

The leader of the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) also demanded that all trading activities of the licensed Primary Dealer be halted immediately and that all the relevant financial allocations be frozen.

Gunawardena said that all the stolen money should be reclaimed through legal action. He also said that the government including Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe should resign over this “largest bond scam” which happened under the PM’s ministry. 

Former foreign minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, who also addressed the press beefing, said that a fine should be imposed on Perpetual Treasuries Limited, which is linked to Arjun Aloysius, son-in-law of ex-Central Bank Governor, Arjuna Mahendran.

He said that the Primary Dealer’s license of the company should also be cancelled with immediate effect. Peiris said that the President should remove the Central Bank from the PM’s portfolio and place it under the Presidential Secretariat or the Finance Ministry.