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Keheliya Rambukwella granted bail

11 Sep, 2024

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Former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, who was arrested and remanded in February this year, over the alleged importation of substandard human immunoglobulin vials, has been granted bail.

Two others who were also remanded in the same case were also released on bail by the?Maligakanda Magistrate?s Court.

The former MP was released on two personal bails of Rs. 5 million each and a cash bond of Rs. 100,000 while an overseas travel ban was also imposed.

Rambukwella was reportedly released after the court considered his medical condition.

The National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) had revealed last October that forged documents were found to have been submitted for Customs clearance to procure a batch of vials containing human immunoglobulin, an antibody produced by blood plasma cells, which later failed quality tests.

The product, which was said to have been manufactured by Livealth Biopharma Pvt Ltd. India, was imported by a local medicine supplier called Isolez Biotech Pharma AG (Pvt) Ltd. However, the India-based manufacturer has denied having a hand in this fraudulent activity and communicated to the NMRA that it has neither manufactured, supplied nor exported these products to any party.

It was also found that funds amounting to Rs. 130 million were misappropriated through the unlawful procurement of 22,500 vials of IVIG.?(Colombo?Gazette)

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