PersonOn bail
Keheliya Rambukwella
Listed from published reports. Appearing here is not a finding of wrongdoing. The custody or bail mark follows the dated status line below and may be out of date.
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Details
- Role
- Former Minister of Health
- Status
- Indicted in June 2025 with 11 others; separately indicted with family members for money laundering; arrested again and bailed 18 August 2026; no verdict reported. Transparency International Sri Lanka filed a contempt application on 13 October 2026 over the unpaid Rs. 75 million ordered by the Supreme Court; on 26 October 2026 the Supreme Court released him on bonds and barred him from leaving the country, after his counsel said Rs. 20 million had been paid; Daily FT reports he undertook to pay the remaining Rs. 55 million within two weeks
Connections (7)
- Keheliya Rambukwella / Indicted in / Immunoglobulin procurement caseAllegation
- Keheliya Rambukwella / Minister under, from July 2022 / Ranil Wickremesinghe
- Keheliya Rambukwella / Indicted in / Money laundering case against Rambukwella and familyAllegation
- The Bribery Commission filed indictments under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act against him, his wife, three daughters and a son-in-law, alleging that he illegally acquired assets between 13 August 2020 and 24 June 2024 while a minister. The Colombo High Court fixed the trial for 27 April 2026.13 Feb 2026 · Ada Derana · Case against ex-Minister Keheliya and family fixed for trial
- Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption / Arrested, May 2025 and August 2026 / Keheliya RambukwellaAllegation
- Taken into custody on 7 May 2025 and remanded until 20 May, over allegations that friends, relatives and political allies were appointed to his personal staff and paid without doing official duties, a loss of Rs. 8,005,814.7 May 2025 · News 1st · Keheliya Remanded Over Rs. 8M Scam
- Arrested again on 18 August 2026 over two allegations: that he influenced authorities to prevent a proper investigation into the theft of an ancient moonstone at Kundasale, and that six employees were recruited to the Rupavahini Corporation beyond its cadre and attached to his staff, a loss of Rs. 14.3 million. The Colombo Chief Magistrate released him on personal bail with a foreign travel ban.18 Aug 2026 · News 1st · Keheliya Released on Strict Bail Conditions | CIABOC Pursues Two Investigations
- Keheliya Rambukwella / Ordered to pay Rs. 75 million by / Supreme Court ruling on Indian Credit Line medicine purchase, March 2026
- Keheliya Rambukwella / Respondent in / Contempt application over unpaid Supreme Court payments, October 2026Allegation
- Transparency International Sri Lanka says he and four former senior health officials failed to pay the sums ordered in the 27 March 2026 judgment, including his Rs. 75 million, and alleges this is wilful disobedience of the court’s orders. It says it confirmed with the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Health that no payments had been made. The article reports no response from the respondents.13 Oct 2026 · Newswire · Keheliya & 4 former health officials face contempt action over unpaid Rs. 275 million
- The 27 March judgment ordered him to pay Rs. 75 million to the state, and three other officials, former Health Ministry Secretary Janaka Chandragupta, NMRA Chairman Prof. S.D. Jayaratne and NMRA Chief Executive Dr. Vijith Gunasekara, Rs. 50 million each, for violating fundamental rights in the procurement of medicines. The petition alleges the respondents are in contempt of court for failing to comply. The article reports no response from the respondents.14 Oct 2026 · Ada Derana · Petition filed against Keheliya Rambukwella and others for alleged contempt of Court
- The Supreme Court ordered him and three other respondents released on bonds and barred them from leaving the country, after considering Transparency International Sri Lanka’s motion. His attorney told the court he had paid Rs. 20 million of the Rs. 75 million ordered. The order was delivered by a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena.26 Oct 2026 · Ada Derana · Court orders foreign travel ban on ex-minister Keheliya Rambukwella
- Reports the same order on bonds and the overseas travel ban for him and three other respondents, and names former Health Ministry Secretary Janaka Chandragupta among the four.26 Oct 2026 · Newswire · SC orders travel ban on Keheliya over unpaid compensation in medicine case
- Says the Supreme Court heard the application on Monday 26 October 2026. Respondent Prof. S. D. Jayaratne said he paid Rs. 50 million on 22 October, after the application was filed. Rambukwella paid Rs. 20 million on 23 October and undertook to pay the remaining Rs. 55 million within two weeks; the other respondents gave undertakings to pay within a week to three months. The Court ordered the four unpaid respondents to pay the full sums within three months, imposed travel bans on them, and released them on bail with cash bonds of Rs. 50 million each and two sureties, to be arranged within a week.28 Oct 2026 · Daily FT · Following TISL’s contempt application, SC sets deadline for Rs. 275 m payment in medical procurement case
- Reports a travel ban on him and four others, which the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration was told to implement at once, and bail for four respondents, including him and the former NMRA Chairman, former NMRA Chief Executive and former Director of the Medical Supplies Division, on bonds of Rs. 50 million each with two sureties. It says the five respondents were given three months to pay the sums ordered. This differs from Ada Derana and Newswire, which report bonds and a travel ban for him and three others.26 Oct 2026 · Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka) · Supreme Court imposes travel ban on Keheliya and four others
- Keheliya Rambukwella / Sworn in as minister before, August 2020 / Gotabaya Rajapaksa