Krrish Rs. 70 million bribery case
Current status of the Krrish Rs. 70 million bribery case
Bribery Commission (CIABOC) case in the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court alleging that the Rs. 70 million from the Krrish Group was a bribe, paid in three instalments for his help in speeding up the Urban Development Authority's allocation of Transworks Square land in Colombo Fort to Krrish. The same Rs. 70 million is the subject of the separate High Court criminal breach of trust case.
What’s happened
On 24 September 2026, CIABOC arrested Janaki (Geethanjali) Siriwardena, a former Krrish Group executive director, over an allegation that she paid Rajapaksa Rs. 70 million in three instalments to secure his assistance expediting the Urban Development Authority's transfer of land at Transworks Square, Colombo Fort, for the Krrish project - the same Rs. 70 million at issue in the separate High Court criminal breach of trust case.
Siriwardena was remanded until 6 October 2026. The Chief Magistrate also ordered prison authorities to allow CIABOC to record a statement from Rajapaksa, who remains in remand in his separate Airbus-related matters, as part of this investigation. Siriwardena is not a politician and is not separately tracked on Nadu. No new charge, arrest, or change to Rajapaksa's own custody has resulted from this development in this matter.
CIABOC subsequently carried out that questioning: Onlanka (citing the Bribery Commission) reported the statement was recorded on 25 September 2026, while India Today/PTI independently reported the questioning occurred on 26 September - this one-day discrepancy between sources is unresolved and both dates are recorded here rather than asserting one as definitive.
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Recording a statement is not itself an arrest, charge, indictment, conviction, or additional remand order in this matter. On 28 September 2026 CIABOC named Rajapaksa the fourth suspect in its Krrish bribery case before the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court (Siriwardena being the first suspect), alleging Rs. 70 million was paid to him on three occasions in return for helping Krrish Transworks Colombo (Pvt) Ltd secure the UDA-owned Transworks Square land and expedite approvals.
He was produced on 29 September 2026 and Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama remanded him until 6 October 2026 - the same date as Siriwardena - in this proceeding, separately from his Airbus-related remands (to 13 October). CIABOC's investigating officer told the court the Indian Government had communicated that funds used in the Krrish transaction were proceeds of money laundering, and that the Commission expects to move toward filing indictments; the defence argued a certificate issued under the new Anti-Corruption Act could not legally support proceedings for an offence charged under the former law.
These are prosecution submissions and defence arguments, not findings; no charge has been filed in the CIABOC case and no court has found any payment was a bribe. On 6 October 2026 Chief Magistrate Bodaragama, after hearing CIABOC and the defence, further remanded Rajapaksa and first suspect Janaki Siriwardena until 16 October 2026 and said the order on their bail applications will be delivered that day.
Bail has not been granted in this proceeding.
16 October 2026: On 16 October 2026 the Chief Magistrate extended the remand to 23 October; the order on Rajapaksa's application for release is due that day.
- Court
- Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court
- Next hearing / due
- 23 October 2026
- Allegation
- Bribery: Rs. 70 million allegedly paid in three instalments for help with the Transworks Square land (CIABOC allegation)
- Money involved
- Rs. 70 million, the same sum at issue in the High Court breach of trust case
- Court
- Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court
- Investigating agency
- CIABOC
- Stage
- Named fourth suspect on 28 September 2026; no indictment filed
- Next date
- 23 October 2026 (bail order; remand ends)
What happened
Krrish is an Indian real-estate group whose Sri Lankan company, Krrish Transworks Colombo, planned a large mixed-use development (shops, offices, hotels and residences) on land at Transworks Square in Colombo Fort, a site connected to the state Urban Development Authority (UDA). The project is widely called the Krrish building.
Separately, the anti-bribery commission (CIABOC) is pursuing a bribery allegation in the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court. CIABOC alleges that the same Rs. 70 million was paid in three instalments by former Krrish executive director Janaki Siriwardena to Rajapaksa, to help speed up the transfer of the UDA-linked Transworks Square land and the related approvals. On 28 September 2026 CIABOC named Rajapaksa the fourth suspect in that investigation. These are allegations; no court has made findings on them.
How it reached court
On 24 September 2026 the commission told the Chief Magistrate that the money had been paid to Rajapaksa in three instalments, and the court allowed it to record his statement in prison. It did so on 25 or 26 September; reports differ on the day. On 28 September it named him the fourth suspect, and on 29 September he was produced in court and remanded.
Where it stands
He was remanded until 6 October, then until 16 October, and on 16 October until 23 October 2026, when the order on his bail application is due. A CIABOC investigating officer told the court the commission expects to move towards filing indictments; none has been filed. He is also held in remand in the separate SriLankan Airbus bribery case. Remand is not a finding of guilt.
At the 29 September hearing, defence counsel reportedly argued that a certificate issued under the new Anti-Corruption Act could not support proceedings for an offence charged under the former law.
No charge has been filed in this case. The items below are what the Bribery Commission and its officers have told the Chief Magistrate's Court; none has been tested or ruled on by a court.
Evidence is listed as it has been presented in proceedings or publicly reported, with the defence’s position where it has been made public. Evidence being presented is not a finding of guilt — only a court can make one.
- #1OtherAlleged · not yet tested in court
CIABOC submission of three instalments from a former Krrish director
Prosecution says
CIABOC told the Chief Magistrate on 24 September 2026 that Janaki Siriwardena, former Krrish executive director, paid Rajapaksa Rs. 70 million in three instalments to speed up the Transworks Square land transfer. CIABOC says the money came from funds set aside for promoting rugby. Reports of the hearing describe no documents or witnesses beyond this allegation.
Defence says
No public response on this point.
Court's view
The Chief Magistrate remanded Siriwardena and later remanded Rajapaksa; remand is a custody order pending investigation, not a finding on the facts.
Seen in the timeline: 24 September 2026 (Hearing) · 29 September 2026 (Remanded)
Sources (2)
- #2OtherAlleged · not yet tested in court
CIABOC officer's account of an Indian Government communication
Prosecution says
CIABOC's investigating officer told the court on 29 September 2026 that the Indian Government had notified Sri Lanka about the source of funds used in the Krrish transaction; the reports describe this as a submission to the court, and the communication itself has not been published.
Defence says
No public response on this point.
Seen in the timeline: 29 September 2026 (Hearing)
Sources (1)
- #3WitnessExpected · not yet produced
Statement recorded from Rajapaksa by CIABOC
Prosecution says
With the court's permission, CIABOC recorded a statement from Rajapaksa in remand prison in late September 2026 (reported as 25 or 26 September). The content has not been reported; its contents are unknown.
Defence says
No public response on this point.
Seen in the timeline: 25 September 2026 (Questioned)
Sources (1)
Krrish Rs. 70 million bribery case timeline
- 23 October 2026
Next Hearing
The case is due back before the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court on 23 October 2026, the date fixed on 16 October 2026.
Court: Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court
Sources (2)
- 16 October 2026
Next Hearing
In the Bribery Commission's Krrish case Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama extended the remand of Rajapaksa and the first suspect to 23 October 2026. The order on Rajapaksa's own application for release was not ready and is due on that date. According to Newswire, the first suspect, former Krrish director Janaki Siriwardena, had her application turned down.
Court: Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court
Sources (3)
- 16 October 2026
Remanded
In the Bribery Commission's Krrish case Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama extended the remand of Rajapaksa and the first suspect to 23 October 2026. The order on Rajapaksa's own application for release was not ready and is due on that date. According to Newswire, the first suspect, former Krrish director Janaki Siriwardena, had her application turned down.
Court: Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court
Sources (2)
- 6 October 2026
Hearing
In the CIABOC Rs. 70 million bribery investigation (the Krrish / Transworks Square land transfer), the Chief Magistrate reviewed the remand of Rajapaksa and Janaki Siriwardena after hearing CIABOC and defence submissions and further remanded both until 16 October 2026. OnLanka reports the order on their bail applications is due that day.
Court: Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court
Sources (3)
- 6 October 2026
Remanded
Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama further remanded Rajapaksa until 16 October 2026 in the CIABOC Krrish bribery proceeding, together with Janaki Siriwardena, and said the bail order will be delivered on 16 October. This is separate from the High Court indictment and from his Airbus remands.
Court: Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court
Sources (3)
- 29 September 2026
Hearing
Rajapaksa, named fourth suspect the day before, was produced before the Chief Magistrate. CIABOC's investigating officer said the Indian Government had communicated that funds used in the Krrish transaction were proceeds of money laundering, and that in the Airbus case investigations were complete and the Attorney General was expected to consider a single indictment.
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The defence argued a certificate under the new Anti-Corruption Act could not support proceedings for an offence charged under the former law. CIABOC also told the court the Central Bank had invested about Rs. 150 million in the property before the land was made available through the UDA, and that the payment was allegedly made through Nimal Perera, who investigators say acted with Rajapaksa's knowledge and consent.
The court directed the defence to file its bail application on 6 October. These are submissions, not findings.
Court: Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court
- 29 September 2026
Remanded
CIABOC had named Rajapaksa the fourth suspect in its Krrish bribery case the previous day. Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama remanded him until 6 October 2026, the same date as first suspect Janaki Siriwardena. This is separate from the High Court indictment and from his Airbus remands.
Court: Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court
- 25 September 2026
Questioned
CIABOC recorded Rajapaksa's statement in Colombo Remand Prison. Onlanka, citing the Commission, gives 25 September and India Today/PTI gives 26 September; the one-day gap is unresolved.
Court: Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court
Sources (2)
- 24 September 2026
Hearing
CIABOC told the Chief Magistrate that Janaki Siriwardena, former Krrish executive director and CEO, had paid Rajapaksa Rs. 70 million in three instalments, to speed up the transfer of Transworks Square land. Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama remanded Siriwardena until 6 October and let CIABOC record a statement from Rajapaksa in prison.
Court: Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court