It is reported that Mr. Keheliya Rambukwella, who is being treated at the prison hospital after being arrested and remanded in custody, has sent his letter of resignation from the position of Environment Minister to the President’s Secretary.
Mr. Keheliya Rambukwella is in custody until the 15th on charges of committing money fraud and endangering the lives of patients by importing substandard antibody vaccines called ‘Immunoglobin’ and distributing them to government hospitals on the island.
It has been alleged that an inferior medicine of this drug used for nervous patients was imported from the loan money given under the Indian loan scheme.
A group of officials from the Ministry of Health and the owner of the pharmaceutical company were arrested following a complaint filed by Mr. Kamantha Thushara and others, requesting an investigation into the matter.
At the time of this incident, the Samagi Jana Balawega brought a motion of no-confidence against Mr. Keheliya Rambukwella’s health ministership, but the minister won the no-confidence motion.
However, about a month later, Mr. Keheliya Rambukwella was removed from the position of Minister of Health and given the position of Minister of Environment.
In recent days, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya reiterated that they will also bring a vote of no-confidence against his environment ministership.
The government was continuously pressured to remove him from the cabinet by various parties questioning his imprisonment on criminal charges while he was a cabinet minister.
