A legal obstacle has prevented Sri Lanka from extraditing former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran, who is wanted over the Central Bank bond scam, Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala said.
Speaking during a television programme on Wednesday (26), the Minister claimed that Mahendran had changed his name and was living as a Singaporean citizen.
He said Singaporean law did not allow one of its citizens to be extradited to Sri Lanka. However, authorities were pursuing alternative legal avenues and taking the necessary steps to bring him back, he added.
Wijepala said court proceedings related to the bond scam were continuing, with further information emerging during the trial.
Meanwhile, the Minister said Interpol Red Notices had been issued against 236 suspects, including 110 notices secured after the National People’s Power Government took office.
He said 66 underworld figures and suspects linked to drug-related crimes had already been brought back to Sri Lanka, while investigations were continuing into another 97 suspects.
Authorities had identified the countries and locations where 39 of them were hiding, he said, adding that arrangements were underway to bring one suspect back to Sri Lanka next week.
