Renuka Perera arrested over alleged irregular issuance of bus permits

Former Chairman of the National Transport Commission (NTC) Renuka Dushyantha Perera was arrested today (September 17) over the alleged irregular issuance of 56 passenger service permits for the Southern Expressway.

He was arrested by officers of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) at around 9:55 AM.

According to the allegations, the 56 passenger service permits were issued outside the lawful procedure and without collecting the annual fees in a single payment.

The permits were allegedly issued in violation of the provisions of the National Transport Commission Act No. 37 of 1991 and the recommendations contained in a Cabinet decision dated September 19, 2014.

CIABOC alleges that the actions caused an unlawful loss to the government while providing an unlawful benefit to an outside party, amounting to the offence of corruption.

The arrested former NTC Chairman is due to be produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court.