The Supreme Court (SC) has ruled that former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and several others violated the Fundamental Rights of the public in connection with the procurement of health supplies from an unregistered company under the 2022 Indian Credit Line.

The Court found that the procurement had been carried out in breach of standard procedures. As part of the ruling, Rambukwella has been ordered to pay Rs. 75 million to the state from his personal funds.

The judgment also directed former Health Ministry Secretary Janaka Chandragupta and former Chairman of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA), S.D. Jayaratne, to each pay Rs. 50 million in compensation.

In addition, Vijith Gunasekera, Chief Executive Officer of the NMRA, and former Deputy Director of the Medical Supplies Division Thushitha Sudarshana, have also been ordered to pay Rs. 50 million each.

The ruling was delivered by a three-judge bench headed by Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, following the hearing of a Fundamental Rights petition filed by Transparency International Sri Lanka and two other parties.