On a request made by the Financial Crimes Investigation Division, the Kaduwela Magistrate approved the transfer of the illegally procured Rs 157.5 million to the Central Bank.

Speaking to Ceylon Today, Welivita, who was also the media secretary to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, claimed that CSN was not informed of this transfer and that he was ignorant as to where this money, connected to CSN, came from.

He added, "I have no idea what this is about. I am trying to find out what this money is and where it came from. I am discussing this with my lawyers. I didn't know about this transfer, I found out via an SMS like all others."

On 25 August 2015 Welivita was questioned by the FCID, which the then Police media spokesperson ASP Ruwan Gunasekera stated was due to financial irregularities reported within the company. In the subsequent months, Welivita was questioned by the FCID several times and then was arrested, along with a few others, including former President Mahinda Rajapaksa's second son, Yoshitha, in January this year, on charges of money laundering. They were released on bail in March.

(By Shaahidah Riza – ceylontoday.lk)