logo
Ex-Sri Lanka Cricketer Ramith Rambukwella Arrested In Corruption Case

Ex-Sri Lanka Cricketer Ramith Rambukwella Arrested In Corruption Case

NDTV21-05-2025

Ramith Rambukwella, a former Sri Lankan international cricketer, was arrested by an anti-graft commission on Wednesday in connection with a corruption case linked to his politician father. The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) summoned Rambukwella to appear before it on Wednesday morning. He was arrested after recording a statement with the bribery commission. He was later remanded till June 3 by Colombo Chief Magistrate's court. Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali on Tuesday granted permission to name Rambukwella as a suspect in the corruption case linked to his father Keheliya Rambukwella, a former powerful minister in the administration of the Rajapaksas.
Keheliya, previously arrested by the bribery commission, is also in remand custody until June 3.
He is facing a string of corruption charges and was arrested under his own government in 2024 for misusing the Indian credit line to purchase substandard medicine as the health minister.
Ramith played two T20 internationals in 2013 and 2018 against New Zealand and England after a successful schools cricket career.
In a separate case, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa, who is also the son of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, has been indicted over the alleged misappropriation of LKR 70 million from India-based Krish Hotels for the development of rugby in Sri Lanka.
He will face a pre-trial hearing on June 27. Namal was a national rugby player.
A host of former parliamentarians are spending time in remand custody for various cases of corruption.
The current National People's Power (NPP) government, in the run-up to general elections last year, had pledged to clean public life by holding politicians accountable.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Excise duty on liquor goes up by over 50%, retail prices to rise from 14% to 60%
Excise duty on liquor goes up by over 50%, retail prices to rise from 14% to 60%

Hindustan Times

time30 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

Excise duty on liquor goes up by over 50%, retail prices to rise from 14% to 60%

MUMBAI: The cash-strapped Maharashtra government on Tuesday increased the state excise duty on Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) by over 50%, which will lead to a significant increase in retail prices by over 60%. It has also increased the duty on country liquor and imported premium liquor, which will hike their retail prices by 14% and over 25% respectively. The excise duty on beer and wine has not been increased. The government expects the whopping hike to increase its revenue to ₹57,000 crore, up ₹14,000 crore from the ₹43,620 crore collected in FY 2024-25. It expects 10% of the estimated revenue receipts of ₹5.60 lakh crore for the financial year 2025-26 to come from this. While tapping sources of revenue that would enable the drained exchequer to bear the burden of populist schemes like Ladki Bahin and sops for farmers and other communities, the Mahayuti government in January constituted a committee headed by then additional chief secretary Valsa Nair to recommend steps to increase revenue from liquor sales. The committee submitted its report in April this year, and the state cabinet gave its assent to this on Tuesday. Based on the recommendations of the committee, IMFL will now attract four and a half times excise duty on the manufacturing cost instead of the existing three times. 'This will vary based on the manufacturing price but could lead to a huge hike of over 60% in retail prices,' said an excise department official. The cost of IMFL currently ranges between ₹120 and ₹150 for 180 ml, which will now go up to a minimum of ₹205. Premium brands will cost a minimum of ₹360 for 180 ml as against their current rate ranging between ₹210 and ₹330. The price of 180-ml bottles of country liquor has gone up to ₹80 from the current price of ₹70. Beer and wine have been exempted from the excise duty hike. Officials said the retail price of beer, which has a lesser percentage of alcohol compared to hard liquor, is among the highest in the country and was thus exempted. In the case of wine, it is the policy of the state to promote wine since a significant chunk of the country's wineries are in Maharashtra and a significant number of farmers who supply grapes for these wineries are also based here. The government has also introduced a new category called Maharashtra-made liquor (MML), which will also be exempted from the hike. MML brands, made from grains, will cost a minimum of ₹148 for 180 ml, a price that has been strategically kept in the existing price range of IMFL to help MML capture the IMFL market. An official from the excise department said that the new category had been introduced to revive the 70 manufacturing units that manufacture IMFL from molasses and grains. 'Currently 22 of the 70 licenced units are entirely defunct while 16 do no manufacturing and renew their licence only for permission to sell liquor through their shops,' he said. 'The remaining 32 are actually manufacturing the liquor, and 10 of these produce 70% of the IMFL manufactured in the state.' The official added that distilleries using molasses would have to shift to making grain-based liquor in order to get the benefit of the exemption. The reason for this, he alleged, was that most of the grain-based manufacturing units are owned by politicians and the decision was taken to benefit them. The duty hike on IMFL brands has come after 14 years. According to officials, the excise duty levied is still lower than other neighbouring states like Madhya Pradesh and Telangana. 'The committee's recommendations were based on the study of the rates in other states,' said an officer. Another officer said that the hike in duty on country liquor brands was minimal since a greater increase and higher price would lead to the consumption of illicit liquor. 'It is also because the last hike was done in 2022,' he said. The cabinet has also allowed owners of bars to rent out permit room licences for alcohol by paying 10% of the licence fee.

US court pauses ruling allowing Venezuelans to challenge deportations to El Salvador
US court pauses ruling allowing Venezuelans to challenge deportations to El Salvador

Hindustan Times

time35 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

US court pauses ruling allowing Venezuelans to challenge deportations to El Salvador

-A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday temporarily paused a judge's ruling holding that hundreds of Venezuelans the Trump administration deported to El Salvador under an 18th century wartime law must be given the chance to challenge their detentions. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued an administrative stay to give itself more time to consider an appeal filed by the government earlier on Tuesday. Washington-based U.S. District Judge James Boasberg on June 4 also ruled that the Trump administration must facilitate their legal challenges, though he stopped short of expressly ordering the government to bring the Venezuelan migrants currently being held at a mega-prison in El Salvador back to the U.S. Boasberg, an appointee of Democratic President Barack Obama, gave the government one week to detail how it would facilitate the deportees' challenges, known as habeas corpus petitions. The Venezuelans were deported in March after President Donald Trump, a Republican, invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to swiftly deport alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang without going through normal immigration procedures. The appellate court panel that paused Boasberg's ruling included U.S. Circuit Judges Gregory Katsas, Neomi Rao and Justin Walker, all of whom were appointed to the court by Trump during his first term in office. The American Civil Liberties Union, which represents the Venezuelans in the case, did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

Raj unveils new primary school curriculum aligned with NEP'20
Raj unveils new primary school curriculum aligned with NEP'20

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

Raj unveils new primary school curriculum aligned with NEP'20

1 2 Jaipur: The Rajasthan education department has announced a comprehensive overhaul of primary education textbooks, aligning them with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 guidelines. The new curriculum, set to be implemented from July 1, will cover classes 1-5 and introduces a wide range of topics from Indian history to contemporary achievements. The reformed textbooks will feature stories of national heroes and revolutionaries, including Maharana Pratap, Chhatrapati Shivaji, Subhash Chandra Bose and Vallabhbhai Patel. Students will also learn about modern achievements like the Chandrayaan Mission and cultural events such as the Maha Kumbh. "These changes reflect our commitment to providing education that is both child-friendly and relevant to current needs," said Shweta Fageria, director of RSCERT. The curriculum introduces practical subjects like road safety and municipal body functions, while also highlighting environmental conservation through stories like the Khejarli Balidan, which documents the sacrifice of over 360 Bishnois who protected Khejri trees. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Education minister Madan Dilawar emphasised that the new approach moves beyond traditional bookish knowledge. "Students will receive practical and interesting information about Indian culture, history and geography, along with stories of our brave warriors," he said. In accordance with NEP guidelines, primary education will be conducted in local languages and mother tongues, with specially prepared dictionaries for various dialects. The education department has established a clear timeline, ensuring that all students up to class 5 will receive their new textbooks by July. A state-level committee formed in Nov continues to review the entire school curriculum. The initiative represents a significant step toward modernising education while preserving cultural heritage and promoting practical learning in Rajasthan's primary schools. The new system will introduce revolutionary leaders and democratic concepts from class 3 onwards, integrated across Hindi, English and EVS subjects. By class 5, students will study detailed biographies of historical figures like Veer Durgadas Rathore and Dayanand Saraswati, providing a comprehensive understanding of India's rich historical legacy.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store