The Additional Secretary to the Health Ministry Dr. Saman Rathnayake, who was recently arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and remanded over the procurement of substandard medicine, has reportedly made a four-hour-long confidential statement to the Maligakanda Magistrate yesterday (6).

Dr. Rathnayake was produced before the Maligakanda Magistrate yesterday, and reportedly made a confidential statement for around four hours, before being escorted back to remand prison.

On 1 March, the CID apprehended him in connection with the substandard human intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) procurement scandal. He was ordered to be remanded after being produced at court the following day (2 March).  Meanwhile, on 1 March, Dr. Rathnayake had stated before the court that he was willing to make a confession regarding the matter, following which the court ordered him to be separated from the other suspects arrested in the case.