Former Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and his wife, who were arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) over allegations of misusing funds amounting to over Rs. 6.1 million in 2014, have been granted bail by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court.

This order was issued by Colombo Additional Magistrate Harshana Kekunawela after they were produced before the Court yesterday (23).

Meanwhile, two other suspects who were arrested in connection with the incident have also been ordered to be released on bail.

Yapa and his wife were arrested on Wednesday (22) by CID officers on the charges of obtaining a sum of over Rs. 6.1 million from the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation under the guise of providing relief to the people displaced by floods in the Bingiriya and Narammala areas in 2014, but instead using the funds for Presidential Election-campaigning activities in 2015. Police Media Spokesperson, Senior Superintendent of Police and attorney K. Buddhika Manatunga stated that it has been uncovered that Yapa has committed the offence of the criminal misappropriation of funds and offences under the Offences against Public Property Act through this. Accordingly, they were arrested following the advice of the Attorney General, he said.