Central Bank Governor Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy has been asked to appear before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Central Bank bond issue on February 21 (Tuesday).

Dr. Coomaraswamy is the first officer to be called up by the Presidential Commission inquiring the bond scandal that rocked the Central Bank during the tenure of former Governor Arjuna Mahendran.

Former Governor Arjuna Mahendran is alleged to have committed malpractice in the issuance of treasury bonds: Perpetual Treasuries, allegedly owned by his son-in-law Arjun Aloysius recorded a profit of Rs. 5 billion while Mahendran was at the helm of the Central Bank.

Auditor General Gamini Wijeysinghe later confirmed that the country had lost Rs. 1.6 billion due to the scam at the Central Bank.

President Maithripala Sirisena appointed a Commission of Inquiry on January 27, headed by Supreme Court Judges Kankani Tantri Chitrasiri, Prasanna Sujeewa Jayawardena and retired Deputy Auditor General Velupillai Kandasamy to probe the matter.