JVP files FR petition against alleged ‘sugar scam’
March 12, 2021 11:41 am
JVP politburo member, former MP Sunil Handunnetti has filed a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition with the Supreme Court seeking legal action against the alleged sugar scam which incurred a loss of Rs. 15.9 billion to the government.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Finance Minister PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, Presidential Secretary P.B. Jayasundera, Attorney General Dappula de Livera, Finance Secretary S.R. Attygalle, former Sathosa chairman Nushad Perera, Pyramid Wilmar Pvt Ltd and its chairman Sajath Mawzoon and chairman of Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) Shantha Dissanayake have been named as the respondents of the petition.
Handunnetti states that reducing the tax levied on sugar imports to 25 cents had caused the government a loss of Rs. 15.9 billion.
He went on to allege that the import tax on sugar had been slashed with the intention of providing relief to several pro-government businessmen.
The Finance Ministry has also presented submissions to the Parliament on the matter, he said, adding that the fundamental rights of the people were violated by the alleged sugar scam.
