Former Chairperson of the National Transport Commission (NTC), Renuka Perera, was remanded until 29 September by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court yesterday (17) over allegations of corruption relating to the issuance of passenger transport permits.

Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S Bodaragama issued the remand order after considering submissions made by officials of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) and defence lawyers.

Perera was arrested by CIABOC yesterday over allegations that he unlawfully issued 56 passenger transport service permits for buses to operate on the Southern Expressway during his tenure as NTC Chairperson.

According to the allegations, the permits were issued outside the legally prescribed procedures and without requiring the annual fees to be paid in a single payment.

CIABOC alleges that the actions caused a loss to the Government while providing an unlawful benefit to an external party.

The alleged offences are said to have been committed in violation of the National Transport Commission Act, No. 37 of 1991, as well as recommendations contained in a Cabinet of Ministers decision dated 19 September 2014.

Perera, a senior member of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), was produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court following his arrest.

He currently serves as the Administrative Secretary of the SLPP and has previously served as Chairperson of MILCO, the State-owned dairy producer and marketer.

The case will next be taken up on 29 September.