• Says he is appearing for both parties who are only plaintiffs 

Claiming that former Health Minister and incumbent Environment Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) are both plaintiffs related to the controversial substandard intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) import case, NMRA Director Board Member and attorney Manoj Gamage said that there is nothing wrong with him being on the NMRA Director Board and appearing as a lawyer for Rambukwella.

The Professional Forum of Physicians on Medical and Civil Rights and the Association of Health Professionals had raised concerns over Gamage appearing for Rambukwella in relation to the said case.

When contacted by The Daily Morning, Gamage said that there is nothing wrong with being a NMRA Board Member and appearing for Rambukwella. 

“Both Rambukwella and the NMRA are plaintiffs in relation to this case. They have not been named as accused. It is wrong if I appeared for any of the accused. However, Rambukwella and the NMRA are on the same side with regard to this matter. It is not wrong for me to appear for him.” He further said that he had appeared for Rambukwella as a junior counsel representing President’s Counsel U.R. de Silva. “Being on the NMRA Director Board is not a reason not to engage in the legal profession.”

With several individuals including former Health Ministry Secretary Janaka Sri Chandraguptha being arrested over the said incident, several parties have called for action against Rambukwella, and the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) recorded a statement from him on Tuesday (27). After the CID recorded a statement from Rambukwella at his residence in Colombo, Gamage spoke to the media saying that certain parties are attempting to mislead the related investigation by spreading rumours that Rambukwella was involved in the IVIG import case. Claiming that Rambukwella had voluntarily recorded a statement with the CID, he said that it could not be attributed to an interrogation of Rambukwella as a suspect by the CID.

The batch of IVIG in question had been suspended from use following the revelation that the local supplier named Isolez Biotech Pharma AG (Private) Limited had imported it by submitting forged documents for customs clearance. Among government officials who were arrested by the CID regarding the incident and subsequently placed in remand custody are Chandraguptha, the Medical Supplies Division (MSD) Director Dr. Kapila Wickramanayake, the Assistant MSD Director Shanthi Solomon, the MSD’s Accountant (Supplies) Niran Dhananjaya, and the MSD’s Pharmacist Sujith Kumara.