Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the other defendants in the Avant-Garde corruption case filed by Director General of the Bribery Commission raised preliminary objections to the case, claiming that the Director General filed the case without the written sanction of the Bribery Commission.

The Bribery Commission DG filed a case in Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court against eight individuals including former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Avant-Garde Maritime Services Chairman Nissanka Senadhipathi and three former navy commanders over giving permission to the Avant-Garde Maritime Services to operate a floating armory.

It is alleged that the individuals helped the company to earn Rs 11.4 billion, thereby causing a loss to the government. They are charged for corruption under the Bribery Act.

The case will be re-considered at 11.30 a.m.