Former Chief Justice gets a Rs. 5.9 million cheque from the Supreme Court

Friday, 21 December 2012

The accounts division of the Supreme Court has reportedly release a cheque for Rs. 5,900,000 (Rs. 5.9 million) to former Chief Justice Ashoka de Silva during the financial year of 2010 and 2011.

The reason for releasing the amount has been cited as tax refund. However, the cheque has now posed a problem to the Supreme Court accountants.

The accountants have informed the accounts division that if such a tax refund was being paid, the Inland Revenue Department or the Customs Department should have done it.

The Supreme Court accounts division has been unable to thus far give a proper response to queries by the accountants as to how such a large sum of money had been released to the former chief justice and on what basis.

When inquired from the Supreme Court accounts division, the cheque had been issued on a request by the former chief justice. The official added that there was an entry in the relevant account books to the effect.