PTL CEO asks for one month

Submitting telephone recordings of specific bond transactions:

Justice K. T. Chitrasiri, Chairman of the presidential commission of inquiry probing alleged bond scams, yesterday asked Chief Executive Officer of Perpetual Treasuries Pvt. Ltd, (PTL) Kasun Palisena whether it was possible to identify the recordings of telephone conversations pertaining to specific bond transactions. Palisena said he needed time to comply with the commission’s instruction as all telephone conversations had to be examined.

Asked by Justice Chitrasiri how long that process of retrieving the required data would take Palisena, thought for a while and said that at least one month was needed.

Justice Chitrasiri asked whether the relevant numbers of incoming and outgoing calls could be identified. Palisena said it was not possible and only telephone conversations were recorded.

Deputy Solicitor General (DSG) Milinda Gunatilake said the AG’s Department had asked for those telephone details of bond transactions with the numbers of incoming and outgoing calls, relevant dates etc about one week back. He said recordings of all telephone conversations had been submitted, but necessary details could not be ascertained.

Senior Assistant Solicitor General (SASG) Dappula de Livera, PC, said the telephone recordings were being examined, but the aforesaid details detailed were needed in advance for questions to be asked from Palisena.

At this point, Nihal Fernando, PC, appearing for Perpetual Treasuries Pvt. Ltd objected to the AG’s Department officials asking questions while evidence was being led.

The SASG rose to his feet, saying that if the counsel for the Palisena did not reveal the necessary information the commission had to question the witness to facilitate the investigation.

At this point, Chairman Justice Chitrasiri asked the AG’s Department officials to write the questions and submit them to the commission. DSG Gunatilake complied and the commission posed those questions to the witness later on.

The Chairman asked Palisena to provide written answer to the questions raised by the AG’s Department tomorrow.

DSG Gunatilake suggested that Palisena submit his answers by way of an affidavit. The Chairman agreed, saying that an affidavit would help save the time of the commission.

Palisena’s evidence was led by the company’s Counsel Nihal Fernando PC with Attorneys-at-law Romali Tudawe and Arul Pragasam.

When the Commission resumes sittings today at 10.00 a.m., Kasun Palsena will continue to testify before the Cmmission.