Mahindananda, Nalin, Nanda granted bail in separate carrom board case

Former Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage, former Minister and Lanka Sathosa Chairman Nalin Fernando, and former Sports Ministry Secretary and retired Army Chief of Staff Major General Nanda Mallawarachchi were indicted today (July 21) before the Colombo High Court in connection with a new case related to the controversial carrom board transaction.

The Attorney General filed indictments against the three, accusing them of committing an offense under the Public Property Act by importing carrom boards and checkers (daam) boards through Lanka Sathosa, a state-owned enterprise, and distributing them to sports associations during the 2015 Presidential Election period with the intention of gaining political advantage.

Colombo Chief High Court Judge Manjula Tilakaratne ordered that all three accused be released on bail. They were each granted cash bail of Rs. 100,000, along with two sureties of Rs. 2.5 million per person.

However, Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Nalin Fernando are already serving 20-year and 25-year rigorous prison sentences, respectively, imposed by the High Court Permanent Trial-at-Bar in a separate case filed by the Bribery Commission based on the same incident. Therefore, Judge Tilakaratne instructed that both be produced before the court on the next hearing date, despite being granted bail in the current case.

The defence lawyers representing the accused informed the court that they intend to raise preliminary objections, arguing that the charges in the present case are not legally maintainable. The court scheduled the hearing to consider these objections for September 4, 2025.

President’s Counsel Sanjay Rajaratnam appeared for Nalin Fernando. Mahindananda Aluthgamage was represented by President’s Counsel Nalin Ladduwahetty, while retired Major General Nanda Mallawarachchi was represented by President’s Counsel Saliya Pieris, along with counsel Sanjaya Marambe, Geeth Karunarathne, and Pasan Karunarathna.