2015 Bond Scam: Minister Reveals How Politicians Were Paid Through Distillery

COLOMBO (News 1st): Sri Lankan Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe revealed in Parliament that Arjun Aloysius, implicated in the infamous 2015 Central Bank Treasury Bond Scam, allegedly used his liquor production company to funnel money to politicians through liquor stores. 

The revelation was made during the debate on the Ministry of Finance's expenditure.

Minister Samarasinghe accused Aloysius of distributing Rs. 1,098 million to various individuals through a private bank account linked to his company, Mendis. 

He highlighted that 168 checks were issued.

Samarasinghe emphasized that the current government is responsible for investigating these allegations, as the bond scam occurred in 2015, and it is now 2025. 

He mentioned that several names have been disclosed, and the funds were distributed from an account at Seylan Bank, jointly signed by Aloysius and his father. 

He also noted that 156 checks were issued from that, and some politicians received money directly, while others received funds through wine stores.

Opposition Lawmaker, Dr. Harsha de Silva responded by agreeing to disclose the list of names involved, stating, "I agree to disclose the list."

Minister Samarasinghe further stated that as the Chairman of the Committee On Finance Committee, Dr. de Silva is aware of the investigations and that historical transactions must be scrutinized to ensure justice for the people of Sri Lanka.

The 2015 Treasury Bond Scam involved the issuance of government bonds by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, leading to significant financial losses.

Arjuna Mahendran, then Governor of the Central Bank, allegedly provided insider information to his son-in-law Arjun Aloysius's company, Perpetual Treasuries, resulting in undue profits. 

The scam caused an estimated loss of over Rs. 8 billion to the Employees' Provident Fund alone, according to reports.

Despite multiple investigations, including reports by the Presidential Commission, COPE, and the Auditor General, Mahendran remains at large, with international warrants and red notices issued for his arrest.