Available case records sent to Bribery Commission
The new Supreme Court Registrar is said to have sent by registered post early this week available records of two cases wanted by the Bribery and Corruption Commission to begin the probe against former Chief Justice Sarath Nanda Silva following a series of complaints lodged against him in relation to two cases heard by Supreme Court Benches headed by him.
As some vital records in relation to at least one of these cases are said to have gone missing mysteriously, Commission sources said they would have to call explanation from the previous Registrar as to how they went missing.
Other sources said the case might drag on without the entire official records and the probe may remain unresolved by the time the lifetime of the present Commission expires in March next year.
After studying the two case records, the Commission is expected to record the statement of the former Chief Justice on the matter.

Out of the three Bribery Commissioners, two are retired Supreme Court Judges Justice Ameer Ismail (Chairman) and Justice P. Edissuriya, while the third is a retired Inspector General of Police, Indra de Silva.

The Nation reliably learns that one set of complaints against the former Chief Justice are in regard to the CBN Sat case, where the then owner of the satellite TV service Muhunthan Canagey had given a donation of Rs. 65 million to start the Buddhist TV station, where the former CJ is an honourary director. But in the company registration Sarath Nanda Silva was not identified as the Chief Justice. The company was sealed in mid 2006 by the CID on suspicion it had LTTE links, the Supreme Court Bench headed by Chief Justice Silva allowed Muhunthan to sell the Company to Dialog. It is alleged that the donation was given while the case was being heard.
Sri Lanka`s first Buddhist Channel was begun in June 2007 with that donation by Daranagala Kusaladhamma Thera, Chief Incumbent of Sri Sambodhi Viharaya, at the same temple in which Sarath Nanda Silva is one of the chief parishioners.

The second case was in relation to relief granted to owners of free hold land, which had been purchased from the Waters Edge project. Since these owners were liable to lose the properties in terms of the Waters Edge judgment to return the property to the state, they filed a motion seeking relief and among these petitioners had been Mr. and Mrs. Canagey. Here again the Supreme Court Bench that heard and gave redress to the petitioners was headed by CJ Sarath Nanda Silva.