Supreme Court extends travel ban on Mahinda Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa

The Supreme Court today (August 03) extended the travel ban imposed on former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa until August 11, as they were named as respondents in a case filed over the economic crisis.

A motion was filed on July 13, seeking an order prohibiting former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal and several others from leaving the country.

It was submitted in relation to a fundamental rights petition filed by the former Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) Chandra Jayaratne, requesting that an investigation be ordered against the individuals responsible for the current economic crisis.

Accordingly, the fundamental rights petition was taken up before a five-member bench consisting of Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya and Supreme Court Justices L.T.B. Dehideniya, Buwaneka Aluwihare, Priyantha Jayawardena and Vijith Malalgoda.

The judge bench headed by the Chief Justice ordered to extend the travel ban on the former Prime Minister and the former Finance Minister until August 11, when the relevant petition was called today (August 03).