Badulla District MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake has been granted bail by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court in connection with a bribery case filed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).

Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali ordered the release of the former Uva Provincial Councilor on five sureties of Rs. 2 million each, along with a cash bail of Rs. 50,000.

The Magistrate also directed the prison authorities to permit the remandee to attend Parliament.

He had been in remand custody for allegedly withdrawing six fixed deposits prematurely in 2016, which were maintained by the Uva Provincial Council at the National Savings Bank in Badulla.

However, the Badulla Magistrate’s Court had yesterday ordered to remand him until April 21 over a separate case, also filed by CIABOC.

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Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd. (APSEZ), India’s largest integrated transport utility, has announced the commencement of operations at the Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT) at the Port of Colombo.
Developed under a landmark public-private partnership, CWIT is operated by a consortium comprising Adani Ports & SEZ Ltd, Sri Lankan conglomerate John Keells Holdings PLC, and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, under a 35-year Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) agreement.

The CWIT project represents a significant investment of USD 800 million and features a 1,400-metre quay length and 20-metre depth, enabling the terminal to handle approximately 3.2 million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) annually.

It is the first deep-water terminal in Colombo to be fully automated, designed to enhance cargo handling capabilities, improve vessel turnaround times, and elevate the port’s status as a key transshipment hub in South Asia.

In a joint statement, Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani has said, “The commencement of operations at CWIT marks a momentous milestone in regional cooperation between India and Sri Lanka…Not only does this terminal represent the future of trade in the Indian Ocean but its opening is also a proud moment for Sri Lanka, placing it firmly on the global maritime map.”

John Keells Group Chairperson Krishan Balendra pointed out that the project strengthens Sri Lanka’s position as a regional maritime hub.”

“Together with the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and Adani Group, we will elevate Colombo’s status as a leading transshipment hub. We are confident that the project will enhance global trade and connectivity in the region,” he adds.

Construction began in early 2022 and has since achieved rapid progress. With the installation of cutting-edge infrastructure now nearing completion, CWIT is poised to set new benchmarks in operational efficiency and reliability in regional maritime logistics.

The Deputy Speaker of Parliament – Dr. Rizvie Salih has announced the decision of the Supreme Court in respect of the Bill titled “Value Added Tax (Amendment)”, has been received.

The Bill was challenged in the Supreme Court in terms of Article 121(1) of the Constitution.

Accordingly, the Supreme Court has communicated that since both petitioners in S.C. (SD) 05/2025 and S.C. (SD) 06/2025 had opted not to proceed with the matter in view of the undertakings given by the State, the Court had not made a determination on the Constitutionality of the Bill, the Deputy Speaker said.