Show Cause Notice Issued on Finance Ministry

Presidential Task Force operating under the President Maithreepala Sirisena has issued show cause notice on Finance Ministry querying how approval was granted to establish an ethanol distillery in Kalkudah Batticaloa in violation of the National Drug Prevention Policy of the government.

Last year. the Excise Department gave approval to establish above distillery to a company called W.M.Mendis, now owned by Arjun Aloysius, the son –in-law of the Central Bank’s former Governor Arjuna Mahendran, to set up a grain-based extra neutral alcohol (ENA) distillery on instructions issued by the Department of Fiscal Policy, both coming under the Ministry of Finance, which was then headed by Minister Ravi Karunanayake.

While joint opposition alleged that huge profit made by Aliosiyus through Central Bank bond scam is being invested in various ventures in Srilanka. Central Bond scandal is being probed by a Presidential Commission and Arjuna Mahendran is giving his evidence. Several other officials of the Central Bank too gave their evidence.

Apart from this politicians from the East , Civil Society, and various volunteer organizations operating in the East to help war affected people in unison vehemently protested against setting up a ethanol distillery in Kalkudah, Batticaloa. Now the cat is out of the bag.