Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen yesterday made a statement at the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID), over alleged financial misappropriation in importing rice through the Lanka Sathosa.
The Minister who arrived at the FCID at about 10 last morning was in the premises till 4.30 in the evening.
After coming out of the FCID building, the Minister told the media that he was asked to call over to make a statement about certain allegations that existed from 2014, before he took over the ministry.
Speaking to Sunday Observer an official of the minister’s office said that the statements were to clarify about the arrangement under which rice was imported by Lanka Sathosa.
“This issue started before Minister Bathiudeen took over the Ministry. However, he can’t simply wash his hands off citing it was before his period. He must assist with the investigations into the matter,” an official of the Minister told the Sunday Observer.
It is alleged that of the approximately 250,000 mt of rice imported during the years 2014/2015 around 80,000 mt was found unsuitable for human consumption.
According to officials within the FCID, the questioning was on investigations that had been launched in 2016 and was not anything new.