Janaka Chandraguptha, the former secretary of the Ministry of Health, who was arrested for buying a batch of substandard immunoglobulin drugs which led to controversy, has been remanded in custody until the 24th.
That is based on an order given today (Jan. 17) by the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court.
On December 18, Mr. Chandraguptha was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) when he came to the premises to record a statement regarding a case of substandard immunoglobulin.
Last December 14, Maligakanda Magistrate Ms. Lochani Abeywickrama had stated that the action of the former Secretary of the Ministry of Health in relation to the process of purchasing substandard Human Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG) was considered suspicious.
Thus, the magistrate also ordered that all parties responsible for providing substandard medicines to the people should be arrested and brought to court regardless of rank.
So far, several high-ranking officials have been arrested in connection with this incident.
Among these people are the former Secretary of the Ministry of Health, the Director of the Medical Supply Division of the Ministry of Health and three officials of the same division as well as the owner of the company that is said to have forged documents and imported substandard immunoglobulin vials.