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(Lanka-e-News-03.Jan.2014, 11.00PM) On the first day of the New year 2014 , a bribery and corruption petition against the very Commissioner of the commission into Bribery and corruption was filed . This is the first time in Sri Lanka’s history bribery and corruption charges have been filed against the very Commissioner who is expected to investigate and discourage bribery and corruption in the country. This necessity arose because the corrupt Rajapakse regime itself is following the policy of setting a thief to catch a thief when making appointments to high positions in the government. Consequently , most top government positions are now manned by thieves and corrupt officials.The petition against the Bribery Commissioner , Jagath Balapatabendi ,a former supreme court (SC) judge was handed over to the Commission inquiring into bribery and corruption this noon by JVP member Sunil Handunneti JVP M.P., Sunil Watagala (CMC member) and a group.
Handunetti addressing the media after handing over the petition said , the petition was handed over today , the first day of the new year because it is hoped that at least the beginning of the year 2014 , will mark the beginning of the end of the most corrupt regime . It is very unfortunate that this petition against the Bribery commissioner cannot be handed over to any other Institution for inquiry than the Bribery commission itself ,the chief of which is the accused himself, Handunetti pinpointed.
After handing over the petition to the Bribery commission secretary , Handunetti stated , if the Commissioner of bribery and corruption Commission has any respect for his lofty post and personal honor , he should resign of his own accord in keeping with the sublime traditions and professional ethics before bringing more disgrace upon himself.
When the present bribery and corruption commissioner Balapatabendi against whom the bribery and corruption petition is now filed , was a supreme court judge , he gave an irregular verdict permitting the leasing of 145 vehicles .One such vehicle was gifted to Balapatabendi by the importer as a reciprocal gesture. Balapatabendi had registered this vehicle and used it wrongfully while having the revenue license and other documents registered in another person’s name .
In his court verdict he had said , the vehicles should be used in the name of ‘Emperor’ but he had himself used it in the name of ‘Toyota corolla’. In other words after giving a judicial order , he had himself transgressed that order brazenly and blatantly by using the vehicle in the name of ‘Toyota corolla’.
Moreover while he was using this vehicle , he had transferred it to another person by backdating the transaction after preparing documents fraudulently to facilitate the irregular transaction.
‘We have handed over all the documents relating to these irregularities and illegalities along with our petition,’ Handunetti revealed.
It is the President who appoints individuals to these government positions . All this evidence and other exposures only bear testimony to the monumental support the President is extending to corruption and its encouragement in the state departments , Handunetti added with concern.
The copy of the full petition is appended.
