Former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga has been further remanded until the 11th of March.
The order was delivered when the case was taken up before the Fort Magistrate’s Court.
On the 14th of February, Weeratunga was arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department(CID) upon his arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport(BIA) for his unlawful interference in purchasing MiG Fighter Aircraft for the Sri Lanka Air Force from Ukraine and causing a loss of more than $ 7 billion to the Government of Sri Lanka.
The Fort Magistrate last week ordered the Acting Inspector General of Police to re-assign to the case to Chief Police Inspector Nihal Francis and Senior Superintendent of Police T. Dayaratne, who investigated the matter and reported facts to court for more than 05 years.
Weeratunga had been hiding in the UAE since 2018.
A case was filed in a Court there seeking his extradition to Sri Lanka, to face money laundering and misappropriation charges over his involvement in the 2006 purchase of four MiG 27 aircraft for the Sri Lanka Air Force.
The Colombo Magistrate’s Court had warrant for his arrest on 20 October 2016.
Interpol had also issued a red notice on Weeratunga.