Former Minister S.M. Chandrasena Arrested

06-Jul-2025

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Former Minister S.M. Chandrasena has been arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption. 

He is accused of distributing maize seeds worth 25 million rupees, which had been imported to be provided to farmers at concessionary rates, to his close associates in an attempt to gain political advantage.

In connection with this incident, he appeared before the Commission yesterday and recorded a statement, after which he was taken into custody by the investigating officers.

Subsequently, S.M. Chandrasena was produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court, where the Magistrate ordered that he be remanded until the 18th of this month.

In 2014, the then government imported maize seeds worth 25 million rupees to be provided at relief prices to farmers below the poverty line in the Anuradhapura District.

He is accused of intimidating public officials, including the District Planning Director of the Anuradhapura District Secretariat, to distribute these seeds through his close affiliates, thereby causing financial loss to the government with the aim of gaining political mileage ahead of the 2015 Presidential Election.

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption arrested S.M. Chandrasena, who had also served as Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Minister of Agriculture, after he appeared yesterday to record a statement.

Following his statement, he was arrested and produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate, who remanded him until the 18th of this month.