The Colombo High Court has issued warrants to arrest Chairman of Avant-Garde Nissanka Yapa Senadhipathi and former Chairman of Rakna Lanka Major General Palitha Fernando.

Ada Derana reporter said that the duo had not appeared before the court when the Avant-Garde case was taken up before Colombo High Court Judge Shashi Mahendran today (02).

The defence attorney representing the Avant-Garde chairman informed the court that his client is currently receiving medical treatment at a Singaporean hospital.

Former Rakna Lanka chairman’s attorneys told the court that their client is under remand custody at present over another ongoing case.

The High Court judge then issued arrest warrants on the two defendants as they failed to present themselves before the court.

The sureties of Nissanka Yapa Senadhipathi and Major General Palitha Fernando were issued notices to appear before the High Court on the 7th of August.

The Bribery Commission had filed a case with the Colombo Magistrate’s Court against the former Defence Secretary and eight defendants for incurring a loss of Rs 11.4 billion to the government by allegedly allowing Avant-Garde Maritime Services (Pvt) Ltd to maintain a floating armoury at the Galle Fort.

The defendants of this case include Chairman of Avant-Garde Nissanka Yapa Senadhipathi, former Additional Defence Secretary Damayanthi Jayaratne, and the former Coordinating Secretary of the Ministry of Defense, Major General Palitha Fernando.

Three former navy commanders Somathilaka Dissanayake, Jayanath Colombage and Jayanath Perera have also been named as defendants of the case.

However, the former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa had later filed a revision petition seeking a court order declaring the case illegal and to acquit him from all charges.