The former Chairman of the national line Ceylon Shipping Corporation Ltd. (CSCL), Kanchana Ratwatte, and three other state officials have been arrested for criminal breach of trust with regard to coal shipments worth Rs 528 million.

Kanchana Ratwatta, M.C. Delgoda (Power and Energy Ministry), R.M.K. Ranatunga (Treasury) and R.S. Jayawickrama (Ports Authority) were arrested by a special investigative unit of Police Headquarters on Tuesday (3) and will be produced before the Colombo Magistrate today.

A police release issued today stated that two shipments of coal purchased for the Norochcholai Lak Wijeya coal power plant in 2012 and 2013, at a cost of Rs 528 million, were provided to an Indian company without approval from the Cabinet.

The Secretary of the Ministry of Power and Energy, B.M.S. Batagoda, had submitted a complaint with this regard at the Police Headquarters on February 20 while the IGP had handed over the case to a special investigative unit.

The aforementioned suspects were arrested following investigations carried out by this police unit, the release said.  

A statement has been recorded today (4) from the Minister of Power and Energy, Patali Champika Ranawaka, regarding the matter while he has declared that the transaction was carried out by straying from the standard operating procedure and without Cabinet approval.

Meanwhile a statement is also to be recorded from the former  Secretary of the Power and Energy Ministry M M C Ferdinandez, who is said to be currently in Australia.

Kanchana Ratwatta served as the Chairman of the Ceylon Shipping Corporation Ltd. (CSCL) from January 2012 to October 2013.