A special joint Police team of the Bribery Commission and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is scheduled to travel to Australia to trace suspects and witnesses connected to the bribery incident involving USD 2 million received from a European airline company linked to the SriLankan Airlines Airbus deal, it was reported. 

According to the Lankadeepa newspaper, the mission aims to record statements and gather evidence from individuals residing in Australia who are believed to have held accounts through which the bribery money was transferred. 

The Bribery Commission had earlier informed the court that W.D. Nimal Perera, said to be the owner of one such bank account, is living in Australia.

Among the main suspects are Priyanka Nayomali Wijenayake, wife of the late former CEO Kapila Chandrasena, and Shamindra Rajapaksa, son of former Minister Chamal Rajapaksa. 

Both are currently overseas, with warrants already issued against them by the Colombo and Fort Magistrates’ Courts.

The case before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court has been filed by the Bribery Commission, while the Fort Magistrate’s Court case has been filed by the CID.

Investigations focus on the establishment of a fake company in Brunei and the acceptance of a bribe amounting to EUR 1,454,645.54 (USD 2 million) from the European civil aviation giant European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (ADS) during the 2013 purchase of ten aircraft by SriLankan Airlines. (Newswire)

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Colombo Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena today ordered the issuance of an open warrant against Priyanka Niyomali Wijenayake, wife of former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena, in connection with the ongoing investigation into the Airbus transaction.

The order was made after submissions by an officer of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) during the hearing. Since a warrant had already been issued against the second suspect, the CID requested that an open warrant be issued in English, which the Magistrate approved.

At the same hearing, the President’s Counsel appearing on behalf of former cricketer Aravinda de Silva and his wife Priyangi Anushka Wijenayake, who had stood as sureties for Priyanka Niyomali, requested that they be released from their surety obligations as they needed to travel abroad. He also informed the court that the bail money of Rs. 10 million could be confiscated.

The Magistrate, after reviewing the case file, clarified that the bail amount deposited was not Rs. 10 million but Rs. 20 million, and that before confiscation, reasons must be submitted in writing to court. 

Accordingly, the Magistrate ordered that the two sureties be released from their obligations and directed that written reasons for confiscating the bail money be submitted to court.

The case is scheduled to be called again on July 22. It was also noted in court that the first suspect in the case, former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena, has since passed away. (Newswire)

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Former Minister Piyankara Jayaratne has left the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption after recording a statement in connection with the probe related to the Airbus deal linked to SriLankan Airlines.

Piyankara Jayaratne had departed after giving a statement for nearly four hours before the Commission.

He had appeared before the Commission today (12) following a summons to record a statement regarding the alleged 2 million US Dollars in bribes said to have been given during the purchase of Airbus aircraft by SriLankan Airlines in 2013. (Newswire)

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Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has left the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) after having arrived to record a statement. 

The former President left the Bribery Commission after recording a statement for nearly two hours over the alleged Airbus aircraft deal linked to SriLankan Airlines. 

Mahinda Rajapaksa was issued a summons to appear before the Bribery Commission today regarding the alleged 2 million US Dollars in bribes said to have been given during the purchase of Airbus aircraft by SriLankan Airlines in 2013. (Newswire)

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Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa arrived at the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) today (12).

Mahinda Rajapaksa has appeared before the Bribery Commission to record a statement regarding the incident of a bribe of 2 million US Dollars said to have been given during the purchase of Airbus aircraft by SriLankan Airlines in 2013.

The former President reported to the Bribery Commission following a summons issued to him to appear today.

Meanwhile, the Bribery Commission has also issued a summons to former Minister of Aviation Services Priyankara Jayaratne to appear before the Bribery Commission today in connection with the same matter. (Newswire)

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Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is scheduled to appear before the Bribery Commission tomorrow (12), his media spokesman, Attorney‑at‑Law Manoj Gamage, confirmed.

Speaking to reporters, he said the former President will present himself at 9.00 am.

Gamage further said that a team of lawyers is expected to meet later today to discuss certain legal matters connected to the summons.

According to Gamage, the summons was issued based on a statement given by the late former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena. 

Pointing out that, however, Chandrasena had submitted an affidavit to the court claiming that his statement was obtained under threat and coercion, Gamage warned that if the summons is based on such testimony, it would be a serious matter.

He further noted that the issue has already been referred to court, and if the summons proceeds based on an unlawful statement, legal action will be taken against the relevant parties.

“Our decision at present is that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa will definitely appear. He is not someone who ever runs away from questions. But there are certain legal aspects we must consider. This will be reviewed by the team of lawyers at today’s discussion. However, our decision has not changed. Accordingly, he is scheduled to participate tomorrow. We know that clear allegations have been made against the late Kapila Chandrasena by name to the Director General. If this summons is based on such a statement, we see it entirely as an unlawful act, because Chandrasena has already submitted an affidavit to the court stating that the statement was obtained through force, coercion, and threats,” he told the media. (Newswire)

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The Colombo Magistrate’s Court today (05) ordered the release on bail of former SriLankan Airlines Chief Executive Officer Kapila Chandrasena, who had been in remand custody over allegations of accepting a US$2 million bribe during the purchase of Airbus aircraft.

Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama delivered the order, directing that Chandrasena be released on cash bail of Rs. 500,000 and three sureties of Rs. 10 million each. The Magistrate also imposed a travel ban on the suspect.

The bail application was submitted at the previous hearing on April 28 by President’s Counsel Rienzie Arsecularatne, appearing on behalf of Chandrasena. Officials representing the Bribery Commission opposed the request.

After considering submissions from both sides, the Magistrate announced the bail order this morning. (Newswire)

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The Colombo Magistrate’s Court today (April 17) rejected the bail application of former SriLankan Airlines Chief Executive Officer Kapila Chandrasena, who is currently in remand custody over allegations of accepting bribes during the purchase of Airbus aircraft for the national carrier.

Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama issued the order after reviewing submissions made by officials of the Bribery Commission and the suspect’s legal team.

The court directed that Chandrasena remain in remand custody until April 28, extending his detention as investigations continue into the high‑profile case. (Newswire)

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Former SriLankan Airlines Chief Executive Officer Kapila Chandrasena has claimed that a sum of Rs. 60 million was paid to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa from funds received through the Airbus deal, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) informed the court today (19).

The disclosure was made when CIABOC presented facts before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court during proceedings related to the ongoing Airbus bribery investigation.

According to the submission, Chandrasena had stated that the Rs. 60 million was paid to the former President on three separate occasions.

He has also reportedly claimed that a further Rs. 20 million was paid to former Civil Aviation Minister Priyankara Jayaratne.

After considering the facts presented, the Colombo Chief Magistrate ordered that Chandrasena be remanded until April 2.

Chandrasena was earlier arrested by CIABOC over allegations that he had solicited and accepted a bribe of USD 2 million in connection with the Airbus deal.

Investigations into the matter are ongoing. (Newswire)

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The Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court has directed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to arrest Shamindra Rajapaksa, the youngest son of former Minister Chamal Rajapaksa, in connection with the ongoing Airbus aircraft investigation.

Rajapaksa, who is currently in the United States, has been named a suspect in the case. The court has instructed the CID to take him into custody and produce him before the court.

Former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena and his wife, Priyanka Wijeynayake, have been named the first and second suspects in a bribery and money laundering case linked to the 2013 purchase of 14 Airbus aircraft.

They are accused of accepting a USD 2 million bribe from the French aerospace company Airbus and laundering the funds as part of the transaction. (Newswire)

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Thousands of Airbus planes have been grounded after it was discovered that intense solar radiation could interfere with onboard flight control computers, leading to delays around the world.

Around 6,000 A320 planes are thought to be affected, half the European firm’s global fleet, but it is understood most will be able to fly again after undergoing a quick software update.

The UK’s aviation regulator said there would be “some disruption and cancellations to flights” though the impact at airports appears to be limited.

Airbus said it discovered the issue after an investigation into an incident in which a plane flying between the US and Mexico suddenly lost altitude in October.

The JetBlue Airways flight made an emergency landing in Florida after at least 15 people were injured.

As well as the A320, the company’s best-selling aircraft, the vulnerability also impacts the A318, A319 and the A321 models.

It is understood that on around 5,100 Airbus planes, the issue can be addressed using a relatively simple software update which would typically take about three hours.

However, the remaining 900 aircraft, which are older versions, will need to have onboard computers physically replaced, and will not be allowed to carry passengers again until the job has been completed.

The length of time that takes will depend on the availability of replacement computers.

Airbus said it acknowledged this will lead to “operational disruption to passengers and customers” and has apologised.

Aviation analyst Sally Gethin told BBC News the situation is “very much out of the ordinary”, saying the disruption to passengers will depend on the “different approaches” airlines take to upgrade their software.

“I understand that Lufthansa is saying it may take its aircraft out of service to do this, in other cases airlines are saying that it shouldn’t have much of an impact at all,” she said.

In the UK, disruption at airports has been limited so far. London’s Gatwick Airport reported “some disruption”, while Heathrow said it had not experienced any cancellations.

The extent of the disruption varies between airlines: British Airways is understood not be be heavily impacted by the issue, while Wizz Air and Air India said it was undertaking the updates already.

Easyjet said said it was “expecting this to result in some disruption” but later added it had started and “already completed the software update on many aircraft” and was planning a full service on Saturday.

In the US, the software issue emerged on the same weekend as Thanksgiving, one of the busiest travel periods of the year.

American Airlines said 340 of its planes were affected and that it expected “some operational delays”, but added the vast majority of updates would be completed on Friday or Saturday. Delta Airlines said it believed the impact on its operations would be “limited”.

In Australia, budget airline Jetstar cancelled 90 flights after confirming around a third of its fleet was impacted. (BBC)

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Minister of Civil Aviation Bimal Rathnayake today disclosed in Parliament the financial fraud that had taken place related to the Airbus Aircraft deal under the previous regimes, revealing that Sri Lanka is now making a payment of USD 800,000 per month, as a result. 

Minister Rathnayake said that the financial fraud had taken place during the tenures of the Rajapaksa and Ranil Wickremesinghe governments. 

“The Rajapaksas were involved in fraud to purchase the Airbus aircraft. On the other hand, to cancel the agreement, senior officials from the Ranil Wickremesinghe government robbed money,” he said. 

The Civil Aviation Minister revealed that the newly acquired Airbus Aircraft has been leased from France, for which the government was only paying USD 275,00 per month. 

Minister Bimal Rathnayake pointed out that the government was also paying USD 800,000 per month for the planes that were never acquired. 

“We are paying triple the amount of the cost of one plane, due to the fraudulent activities of the previous governments. This is the kind of country we are now governing,” he said. 

The minister made the remarks while acknowledging the arrival of the new Airbus A330-200, the first wide-body aircraft to arrive in the country in 8 years. 

SriLankan Airlines yesterday welcomed the newly acquired Airbus A330-200, bearing the registration 4R-ALT, which has been leased from France for a period of 08 years. (Newswire)

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The Cabinet decision by the previous government to purchase four wide-body aircraft has been suspended, Chairman of SriLankan Airlines, Sarath Ganegoda, said. 

Sarath Ganegoda revealed that they were in negotiations with various parties to acquire more wide-body aircraft for the national carrier’s fleet.  

He further said that the administration plans to add at least two more aircraft to the fleet by the end of this year. 

The SriLankan Airlines Chairman explained that at present, the national carrier was unable to connect to profitable routes due to a lack of aircraft.

“We are unable to connect to profitable routes such as Beijing-Colombo, Nairobi-Colombo, and connections to Australia and East Africa. So, the plan is to add at least two more aircraft to the fleet by the end of this year,” he said. 

Sarath Ganegoda made the comments after SriLankan Airlines welcomed its new Airbus A330-200, the first wide-body aircraft to arrive in the country in 8 years. 

The newly acquired Airbus A330-200, bearing the registration 4R-ALT, arrived in Colombo today from France and received a ceremonial water salute upon arrival at the Katunayake Airport.  

Commenting on the new acquisition, the SriLankan Airlines Chairman said that currently, including this new aircraft, the SriLankan fleet consists of 23 aircraft, which are 10 wide-body and 13 narrow-body aircraft. 

He went on to note that the new aircraft has been obtained on a lease for 08 years from a French Company, which he said was extendable. (Newswire)

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Air India on Tuesday firmed up its order for 250 Airbus aircraft and 220 new Boeing jets worth $70 billion at list prices, the airline stated in a press release.

The airline signed separate purchase agreements with the two planemakers at the Paris Airshow for the jets and some services.

Air India’s firm orders include 70 widebody planes, comprising 34 A350-1000s and six A350-900s from Airbus, and 20 787 Dreamliners and 10 777Xs from Boeing. It also includes 140 Airbus A320neo, 70 Airbus A321neo and 190 Boeing 737 MAX narrowbody aircraft.

The airline has also signed options to buy an additional 70 planes from Boeing including 50 737 MAXs and 20 787 Dreamliners, the US planemaker said in a separate statement, making this Boeing’s largest order in South Asia.

“Happy to share that we have signed purchase agreements with @Airbus and @BoeingAirplanes at Paris Air Show today to add 470 new aircraft to enhance our fleet strength! Air India is committed to playing its part in building New India,” said Air India in a tweet.

Boeing in a statement said the two companies have finalised an order for up to 290 new Boeing jets, including 70 on option and expanded services.

Air India said the agreements go “one step further in its USD 70 billion (based on list prices) fleet expansion program that it announced in February this year”.

The Airbus A350 will lead the deliveries of the new aircraft later this year, with the bulk of the order to arrive from mid-2025 onwards, it said.

N Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons and Air India, said the landmark step further positions the airline for long-term growth and success that, “we have every hope, will come together to represent the best of modern aviation to the world”.

Air India has already started taking delivery of 11 leased B777 and 25 A320 aircraft to accelerate its fleet and network expansion.

Campbell Wilson, Air India CEO and MD, said its ambitious fleet renewal and expansion programme will see the airline operate the most advanced and fuel-efficient aircraft across its route network within five years.

Satair, an Airbus company, and Boeing Global Services will support Air India with a broad range of solutions, including parts and maintenance provisioning, digital applications, and modification services.

Boeing said that a set of aviation services will also enable Air India to sustainably expand its operations in South Asia’s rapidly growing aviation market.

Over the next 20 years, South Asia is expected to more than triple its in-service fleet from 700 to 2,300 aeroplanes to meet passenger demand, Boeing said in the statement. (Economic Times)

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The first C295 for India has successfully completed its maiden flight, marking a significant milestone towards its delivery by the second half of 2023. The tactical aircraft took off from Seville, Spain, on the 5 May at 11.45 local time (GMT+1) and landed at 14.45 after 3 hours of flight. 

“This first flight represents a significant accomplishment for the first Make in India aerospace programme. With the Indian Air Force set to become the largest operator of the C295 in the world, this programme exemplifies our commitment to improve the Indian Air Force (IAF) operational capabilities,” said Jean-Brice Dumont, Head of Military Air Systems at Airbus Defence and Space.

India acquired 56 C295 aircraft in September 2021 to replace the (IAF) legacy AVRO fleet. The first 16 aircraft will be assembled in Seville, Spain, and delivered to the customer in ‘fly-away’ condition. The following 40 aircraft will be manufactured and assembled by the Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) in India as part of an industrial partnership between the two companies. 

This programme will significantly contribute to developing the country’s military industrial ecosystem from the manufacturing to assembly, testing, to delivery and maintenance of the complete lifecycle of the aircraft.

The C295 programme comprises a total of 281 orders from 39 operators, making it an unmatched aircraft in its weight and mission class. (Airbus)

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