COLOMBO : Former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella has been further remanded until April 08 in connection the substandard human intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) vials procurement scandal.
He was produced before the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court on Thursday afternoon (March 28).
The other accused in the case are former Health Secretary Janaka Chandragupta, Additional Health Secretary Dr. Saman Ratnayake, Director of the Medical Supplies Division (MSD) Kapila Wickremenayake, Deputy Director of MSD Thusitha Sudarshana, Assistant MSD Director Devashantha Soloman, MSD Accountant (Supplies) Neran Dhananjaya, MSD Stock Controller Sujith Kumara and the owner of the company which is said to have supplied the substandard batch of IVIG vials.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested Rambukwella on 02 February over his alleged complicity in the procurement of substandard IVIG vials.
The arrest came hot on the heels of pressure from civil society activists and health sector trade unionists, who called for the immediate apprehension of the lawmaker.
On February 29, Rambukwella’s attorneys also filed a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition challenging his arrest by the CID and demanding Rs. 100 million in compensation.
After the Maligakanda magistrate refused to release him on bail on March 14, Rambukwella, through his legal counsels, lodged a revision petition with the Colombo High Court seeking to be granted bail subject to any condition.
The verdict of this bail application is set to be delivered on April 03.
In October 2023, the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) revealed that forged documents were found to have been submitted for Customs clearance to procure a batch of vials containing human immunoglobulin, an antibody produced by blood plasma cells, which later failed the quality tests.
