A major security lapse came to the fore during the visit of Sri Lanka president Maithripala Sirisena to Tirumala on Sunday. He was forced to wait for 12 minutes for his car after a darshan atop the Tirumala hill, giving jitters to the staff of the Tiruumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), especially the security. An inquiry has been ordered into the lapse. SiriSena reached Tirumala late on Saturday night for a two-day pilgrimage.

A decision by the Board of Directors of the failed Central Investment and Finance Ltd (CIFL), which is discussing a bail-out plan with the assistance of court, to propose the name of Deepthi Perera as the new managing agent is akin to “set a thief to catch a thief.” The recommendation was communicated last week to the Colombo Chief Magistrate Gehan Pilapitiya who then put off the case involving the misappropriation of Rs. 800 million at CIFL for December 9 to enable all parties concerned to examine the proposal. Deepthi Perera alias Chulaka Gunawardena was the former chairman of the company who was on the run overseas for two years hiding, ostensibly in Cambodia.

Namal Rajapaksa’s financial dealings during the tenure of his father’s presidency continue to be under scrutiny. He is once again in remand custody, charged with money laundering over the acquisition of a call centre by one of his many companies.

Tight security is expected as the Scotsman at the centre of an assault case against former Minister Mervyn Silva’s son Malaka Silva, arrives at the Colombo Magistrate’s Court on Thursday (25), when the case is to be taken up.