Supun Shashendra Pathirage, the former chairman of Central Environment Authority (CEA) has filed a fundamental rights (FR) petition against his arrest over the alleged soliciting of a bribe.
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), its chairman Eva Wanasundera and the commission’s members have been named as the respondents of this petition.
Petitioner says he had rejected an application seeking the renewal of a license in respect of a marine fuel refining operation, based on six reasons. H claims that he was subjected to pressurization from politicians and several other parties urging him to clear the said application.
Pathirage says he was later arrested on bribery charges accusing him of soliciting a bribe of Rs. 10 million to issue the relevant application.
Thus the former CEA chairman has requested the Supreme Court to deliver an order determining that the Bribery Commission’s move to arrest him was done with ‘malicious intent’ and that his fundamental rights were violated.
Two days after his arrest, Pathirage was suspended from service on November 12. He was, however, released on bail the following day.
