NIMH Acting Deputy Director arrested over bribery allegations
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) today (August 13) arrested Dr. Nayanajith Hemantha Ranasinghe, Acting Deputy Director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), in connection with a bribery case linked to 2024.
Dr. Ranasinghe, who previously served as Deputy Director of Prison Health Services, is accused of demanding a bribe of 1.5 million rupees to continue treatment for an inmate at the Welikada Prison Hospital. The inmate had been admitted in 2024 due to illness and was receiving inpatient care at the time.
According to CIABOC, 300,000 rupees of the demanded amount had already been paid.
A team of CIABOC officers arrested Dr. Ranasinghe at his residence in Pitakotte this morning.
He is scheduled to be produced before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court.
UPDATE – 03:40 PM:
Former Deputy Director of Prison Health Services, Dr. Hemanta Ranasinghe has been remanded until August 19, 2025 by Colombo Additional Magistrate Manjula Rathnayake.
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