Courtesy Ceylon Today

The former Director of the Audit Department of the Central Bank (CB) Deepa Seneviratne says that following an order issued by former CB Governor Arjuna Mahendran, the management of the Central Bank was forced to approve a sum of Rs 10 billion, which was put out as collateral for the sale of bonds. She had told the Special Presidential Commission (SPC) probing the CB bond scam, that as there was no other recourse, the then CB management was forced to grant its approval. Seneviratne, giving evidence before the SPC, had told them that, two days before the CB bond sale, she had been transferred to the State Debt Department.

She had told them that the sale of bonds was her maiden such undertaking at the CB. Deepa Seneviratne had told the SPC that all members of the tender board had expressed their vehement opposition to the order issued by Mahendran. She said that Deputy Governor of the CB, Samarasiri had informed the tender board that the decision taken by Mahendran will not be changed and the tender board had been forced to reluctantly approve the controversial bond sale.