Appeals Court postpones hearing of Nalin Fernando’s petition over carrom board procurement case

19-Jun-2026

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The Court of Appeal postponed until June 25 further proceedings in a petition filed by former Minister Nalin Fernando, who is currently serving a prison sentence in connection with the carrom board procurement fraud case, seeking to have the indictment filed by the Attorney General dismissed.

The matter was taken up before a bench comprising Justices P. Kumararatnam and Pradeep Hettiarachchi.

Appearing for the respondent, President’s Counsel Ali Sabry argued that his client had already been convicted and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment by a three-judge High Court bench in a case filed by the Bribery Commission over the same incident. He further noted that a separate indictment had now been filed by the Attorney General for the same offence.

He contended that prosecuting a person twice for the same offence is unlawful, and that although objections had been raised in the High Court, they were dismissed. On this basis, he requested the Court to declare the indictment filed by the Attorney General invalid.

After considering submissions, the Court fixed the matter for further hearing on June 25. The Attorney General will present its position at the next hearing.

The case relates to allegations that during the 2015 Presidential Election period, 14,000 carrom boards and 11,000 carrom coins were imported via Lanka Sathosa, causing a loss exceeding Rs. 50 million to the State. Former Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage and former Minister Nalin Fernando were previously sentenced to rigorous imprisonment in the case.