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Court issues summons to top SLTDA officials over Yala land deal
The Colombo District Court, this week, issued summons and charge sheets to top officials of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) including its Chairperson Kimarli Fernando, for allegedly violating an Interim Injunction issued regarding the leasing out of a land in the Yala tourism zone.
SLTDA Director General Ms Dhammika Wijesinghe and Additional Director General Ms Anoma Nandani were the others issued summons and charge sheets by District Judge Aruna Aluthge.
This was after considering an application by the Plaintiff-Petitioner Lanka Realty Leisure (Pvt) Ltd (LRL).
The initial action was instituted by LRL on June 15, 2020 in respect of a land in the Yala tourism zone, where the SLTDA had leased the property to LRL for a period of 99 years.
However, thereafter the SLTDA had unilaterally executed a Cancellation of Lease, and LRL instituted proceedings against the SLTDA to declare the cancellation as void.
At the first instance, ex-parte enjoining orders were issued against the SLTDA, and thereafter at the Interim Injunction Inquiry, an Interim Injunction was issued against the SLTDA preventing the SLTDA acting on certain documents including a Deed of Cancellation of the Lease.
The Interim Injunction remains in force until the end of the trial.
LRL took up the position in the recent petition that though the Interim Injunction was in operation, preventing the cancellation of the lease agreement through the respective documents, the SLTDA has proceeded to lease the Yala land to a third party, which LRL complained to Court to be a direct violation of the Interim Injunction in disrespect of the District Court.
Pursuant to submissions made on behalf of LRL, the District Court issued summons and charge sheets on the SLTDA, the Chairperson Ms Kimarli Fernando, Director General Ms Dhammika Wijesinghe and Additional Director General Ms Anoma Nandani to appear before the Court on May 24.
Plaintiff-Petitioner LRL was represented in Court by Counsel Mr Nishan Premathiratne with Mr Pravi Karunaratne on the instructions of Mr Francis Julian Pratheep, Attorneys-at-Law.