BY SKANDHA GUNASEKARA Unsecured loans running into billions of rupees have been given between 2015 and 2019 to individuals and businesses with close links to the Yahapalana Government, The Sunday Morning learnt. The list of borrowers includes the late father of one prominent minister in the Yahapalana Government as well as companies owned by another senior minister. “The father of a former minister was given a loan of Rs. 1 billion without collateral. Another minister involved in the construction industry too was given a loan of a similar amount or more,” a senior source at the Bank of Ceylon (BOC) told The Sunday Morning. People’s Bank Chairman Sujeewa Rajapakse confirmed that high net worth loans were given. “Yes, loans were given without collateral. There are different types. One type is clean while some were given without evaluating the projects properly. Billions and billions worth of loans were given out,” he said. When The Sunday Morning queried as to whether any politicians were involved, he responded in the affirmative. “Yes. There are some (politicians),” he said, without going into detail. Meanwhile, the BOC Chairman too verified that such unsecured loans were given “There are loans that are not secure, like with construction companies, and there are certain loans that have been given without collateral. They amount to a few billion rupees,” he said.