Sri Lanka's former finance minister Basil Rajapaksa leaves for US: Reports

Sri Lanka's former finance minister Basil Rajapaksa left for the US to receive medical treatment, a week after the Supreme Court allowed him to travel overseas until January 15, media reports said

Sri Lanka's former finance minister Basil Rajapaksa left for the US on Friday to receive medical treatment, a week after the Supreme Court allowed him to travel overseas until January 15, media reports said.

Basil Rajapaksa, the younger brother of ousted president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, left for Dubai on an Emirates flight from Katunayake Airport, from where he will catch a connecting flight to the US, Daily Mirror Lanka newspaper reported, quoting officials.

On September 2, Sri Lanka's Supreme Court's five-bench headed by Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya permitted Basil, 71, to travel overseas, until January 15 next year to receive medical treatment.

 

The Supreme Court made this order in connection with a Fundamental Rights petition filed by Sri Lankan swimmer and coach Julian Bolling, former Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Chandra Jayaratne, Transparency International and Jehan Canaga Retna, the Mirror report said.

The petitioners are seeking an order to take legal action against Basil and his elder brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa for financial irregularities and mismanagement of Sri Lanka's economy.

In July, Basil was prevented from leaving Sri Lanka following protests from passengers and officials at the Bandaranaike International Airport here.

Basil was forced to resign from the government headed by his elder brother in April amidst the worst economic crisis faced by Sri Lanka, due to a severe paucity of foreign exchange.

Earlier this month, Gotabaya Rajapaksa was given special security and a state bungalow for accommodation on his return to Sri Lanka from Thailand where he fled amid months-long mass protests over the country's worst economic crisis.

Former president and prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, the 76-year-old eldest brother, was also forced to resign in May amidst the anti-government protests in the country.