(UTV | COLOMBO) – A simmering controversy erupted on Friday (22) when JVP MP Vijitha Herath gave parliament details of a bank account opened a week ago, and used to transfer funds to purchase the nano-fertiliser stock from India.
Secretary to the President, P.B. Jayasundara, on Saturday (23) vehemently denied the allegations against him, as published in a Sri Lankan daily newspaper.
A statement from the President’s Media Division stated that the newspaper report was false, untrue and malicious.
In his denial, ‘PBJ’ has said an unequivocal investigation will be carried out into the malicious allegations, and the PMD noted that Dr. Jayasundara had informed the Inspector General of Police to summon all parties with regard to the article and conduct an extensive investigation.
The scandal revolves around approximately US$ 1.2 Million being transferred to the private bank account of two individuals Mohan Perera & G. M. Weerasinghe of ‘United Farmers Trust Limited’ for the acquisition of nano-fertiliser from India.
JVP Parliamentarian Vijitha Herath in an explosive revelation to Parliament said that Sri Lanka had deposited $ 1.275 Mn to an account of a private company as payment for the recently imported Nano-Nitrogen Fertilizer from India.
However, the MP alleged that Secretary to the President Dr. P. B. Jayasundara had intervened and ordered the People’s Bank to open a separate private account at its Town Hall Brach under the name ‘United Farmers Trust Limited’.
He went on to note that the ‘United Farmers Trust Limited’ had thereafter paid $ 300,000 to IFFCO and another $ 50,000 as freight charges, another $ 37,000 as payments.
“Only a fraction of the total payment was made,” he alleged in Parliament and questioned what happened to the rest of the money.
The MP said that it was also revealed that the director of ‘United Farmers Trust Limited’ had continuously requested People’s Bank to convert the remaining money into local currency, adding that too is a serious cause for concern.
Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage in response said it was the Indian High Commission that facilitated the fertilizer imports and IFFCO had appointed ‘United Farmers Trust Limited’ as its representative in Sri Lanka.
Therefore, the government paid the designated representative and they opened the LCs for the fertilizer imports.