Sri Lankan court drops corruption charges against Prez Gotabhaya, orders lifting of his travel ban
Colombo: Sri Lanka's newly-elected President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa was on Thursday absolved of all corruption charges linked to the embezzlement of nearly USD 185,000 by a high court which also lifted the overseas travel ban on him and released his impounded passport.
Rajapaksa, 70, stormed to victory on Sunday in the presidential election, trouncing his nearest rival Sajith Premadasa by a margin of over 13 lakh votes - 52.25 per cent of votes polled against 41.99 per cent.
The former defence secretary, who is credited with helping end the island nation's long civil war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), is the seventh Sri Lankan President.
The Western province-based Permanent High Court Trial at Bar ordered the lifting of overseas travel ban imposed on Rajapaksa and told the Court Registrar to release the President's impounded passport.
President Rajapaksa will embark on his first foreign tour with a visit to India on November 29 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Special High Court in September last year imposed a travel ban on Rajapaksa, the younger brother of former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa, and six others in a corruption case.
Appearing for the Attorney General on Thursday, Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris informed the court that as per the provisions of the Constitution no civil or criminal proceedings shall be instituted or continued against the President, and therefore requested the court to release the defendant from all charges, News First reported.
The court decided to release President Rajapaksa from all indictments filed over the alleged misappropriation of Rs 33.9 million (around USD 185,000) in public funds for the construction of the D A Rajapaksa Memorial and Museum, it said.
The court also ordered that all the bondsmen who placed bonds on behalf of Rajapaksa to be released from their bonds. It ordered that the cash bonds placed with the court be released, the report said.
Justices Sampath Abeykoon, Sampath Wijeratne and Champa Janaki Rajaratne ordered the prosecution to inform the court on or before January 9 on the measures to be taken regarding the remaining 6 defendants in the case.
In his swearing-in speech on Monday, Rajapaksa reached out to the jittery Tamil and Muslim minorities by promising to protect them, even though many of them did not vote for him.
The new president also pledged to support the United Nation's sustainable development goals and make Sri Lanka one of the leading countries in sustainable development.
President Rajapaksa assured the people that professionalism and efficiency would become a cornerstone of his government and vowed not to tolerate corruption.
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Bihar CM Nitish Kumar's son Nishant to enter politics, says JD(U) leader
Patna (PTI): The entry of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's son, Nishant Kumar, into politics has been finalised, and the decision will soon be announced formally by the JD(U), state minister Sharwan Kumar said on Tuesday.
The senior JD(U) leader said Nishant will be given a "bigger responsibility" in the party.
"Now, it's clear, and it has been finalised that Nishant Kumar will join active politics. The party will make a formal announcement in a day or two. Party workers have been demanding Nishant's entry into politics for several years. Now party workers and supporters are upbeat with the decision ahead of Holi," he told PTI.
"He will be given a bigger responsibility in the party. What responsibility he is going to get will be decided in a day or two," said the minister.
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Asked if Nishant can be sent to the Rajya Sabha, Kumar said, "Anything can happen."
Kumar, who has been a minister in the state cabinet for more than a decade, is considered very close to the CM.
Social Welfare Minister Madan Sahni said JD(U) workers have been demanding Nishant Kumar's entry into active politics for several years.
"Now, it has been finalised. We are quite happy with the decision," Sahni, also a JD(U) leader, told PTI.
Rural Works Minister Ashok Choudhary said, "It is a big Holi gift for the party's rank and file and also the people of the state. Nishant's entry into active politics will certainly benefit the party. He is a photocopy of our leader, Nitish Kumar."
JD(U) ally BJP also welcomed Nishant's entry into politics.
"I welcome the new generation to enter politics. I thank the CM for leading the NDA in the recent assembly elections. It is a matter of great happiness that Nishant Kumar will now enter politics with the support of the CM and his family, and we wholeheartedly welcome him," Industries Minister Dilip Jaiswal told PTI Video.
"He is certainly an educated young leader, holding a BTech degree, and is a well-grounded individual. Every event happens in its own time, and perhaps now the right time has arrived. His entry should be warmly welcomed," said the former state BJP president.
Five Rajya Sabha seats from Bihar will go to the polls on March 16. The last date for filing nominations is March 5.
The elections will be held as the tenures of JD(U)'s Harivansh Narayan Singh and Ram Nath Thakur, RJD's Prem Chand Gupta and Amarendra Dhari Singh, and RLM's Upendra Kushwaha are ending.
As per the latest tally in the state legislature, all five seats would now go to the ruling NDA. However, the RJD has decided to field its candidates to ensure the election is not decided unopposed.
