Colombo Additional Magistrate Darshika Premaratne issued the order after being informed that the Attorney General had advised there was no basis to continue criminal proceedings against the suspect.
Accordingly, the Magistrate ordered that Thambugala be released from the case and also lifted the foreign travel ban previously imposed on him.
The case had been filed by the Financial and Commercial Crimes Investigation Division of the CID following a complaint lodged by Arthur Senanayake, the head of IWS Holdings (Pvt) Ltd, alleging that Rs. 70 million had been fraudulently obtained in connection with a helicopter purchase.
Appearing on behalf of Thambugala, Attorney Upali Jayamanne told court that the complaint had been filed maliciously against his client and claimed that several high-ranking politicians at the time had personal differences with the businessman.
