The Bribery Commission announces why Ravi was arrested

Former Minister of Finance, Mr. Sandres Ravindra Karunanayake, was arrested by officials of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption on August 31, 2026, at approximately 1:40 PM, in connection with a corruption charge. This action has been taken against him for committing the offense of corruption, which is related to Section 70 of the Bribery Act, as amended by Act No. 20 of 1994.

This accusation relates to an incident that occurred during his tenure as Minister of Finance from January 12, 2015, to May 22, 2017. During that period, stating it was a special project of the Ministry of Finance, he, along with the then Chairperson of the National Lotteries Board, Ms. Shyamila Perera, arranged to recruit three individuals on a contract basis.

Investigations have revealed that the individuals thus recruited as two coordinating officers and one management assistant did not provide any service to the National Lotteries Board. It is alleged that this act of corruption was committed by arranging to pay them salaries and allowances from the funds of the National Lotteries Board without them providing any service.

The former Minister of Finance, who was thus arrested, is scheduled to be produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court in due course.