Sri Lanka: Mahinda Rajapaksa threatens to sue Central Bank over 'Bond scam'

Former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa on Saturday threatened to sue the Finance Ministry and Central Bank over the alleged Bond scam, saying someone committed a "major fraud" using his name.

His comments came as the Special Presidential panel to investigate the Bond scam suspended its sittings on Thursday to verify the issue date of a government gazette dated January 1, 2015 just a week before Rajapaksa was defeated by President Maithripala Sirisena.

Sirisena's victory ended a nearly decade-long rule of Rajapaksa in 2015. "I am not the finance minister after January 8. Those in that position after January 8 have done a major fraud using my name," Rajapaksa said at Colombo east's Horana town.

The February 27, 2015 Bond issue raged controversy when 10 billion rupees worth Bonds were put on sale even though the public notice was for just one million. It was alleged that a firm associated with then Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran's son was benefited from the deal through insider information.

Mahendran was a handpick of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the premier's defence of the Governor led to a parliamentary probe on the Bond issues. Mahendran was later removed by Sirisena apparently due to public pressure.