SC temporarily lifts overseas travel ban on Basil

The Supreme Court today (Sep 02) temporarily lifted the overseas travel ban imposed on former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa.

Accordingly, the former minister will be allowed to travel overseas until January 15.

The travel ban was imposed after a motion was filed on July 13, seeking an order prohibiting former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Minister Basil Rajapaksa, former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal and several others from leaving the country.

The motion had been submitted in relation to a fundamental rights (FR) petition filed by the former Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) Chandra Jayaratne, requesting that an investigation be ordered against the individuals responsible for the current economic crisis.

The FR petition is taken up before a five-member bench consisting of Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya and Supreme Court Justices L.T.B. Dehideniya and Buwaneka Aluwihare, Priyantha Jayawardena and Vijith Malalgoda.