The Auditor General has stated that the building in Rajagiriya which housed the Agriculture Ministry is an illegal construction as it has exceeded the legally permitted limits in terms of height and the number of floors.

The AG said the building had three more floors (33 ft) than the approved number of floors.

Presenting a report on the matter, the Auditor General has stated that the former Prime Minister has presented has submitted a Cabinet paper to move the Agriculture Ministry without citing valid reasons.

The previous government leased the building under question for the Agriculture Ministry at an exorbitant rate of Rs. 21 million per month.

The report also said the previous government has violated the standard procurement procedure when selecting the building for the Agriculture Ministry.

The lease agreement of the building was probed by the Presidential Commission of Investigation probing corruption between 2015 and 2018.

The building is reportedly owned by veteran actress Sabeetha Perera.