Colombo – July 31, 2025
Melanie Abeygunawardena, the daughter of former Sri Lankan Cabinet Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena, was granted bail yesterday by the Matugama Magistrate’s Court in connection with an ongoing investigation into the alleged illegal assembly and registration of a luxury vehicle.
The suspect surrendered to the Panadura-Walana Anti-Corruption Unit on July 30 after being named in the case involving a Jeep that was reportedly assembled using illegally imported parts and fraudulently registered under her name. Authorities later discovered that the vehicle had been transferred to the son of another Member of Parliament.
The court released Melanie Abeygunawardena on two surety bonds of Rs. 2 million each. Her husband, who is also implicated in the case, remains in custody and has been remanded until August 1.
Investigations revealed that the vehicle was not manufactured through standard channels and had bypassed official import and customs procedures. The registration process, facilitated through forged documents, is being treated as part of a broader network of illegal vehicle dealings.
Officials from the Department of Motor Traffic are said to be cooperating with law enforcement authorities as further inquiries continue. The case has attracted public attention due to the involvement of political family members and the scale of the suspected fraud.
No public statements have been made by Rohitha Abeygunawardena or other involved parties as of the filing of this report.
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