Technology

John Keells CG Auto (Pvt) Ltd, the authorised distributor of BYD vehicles in Sri Lanka, yesterday emphasised the necessity of expediting the release of BYD vehicles detained by the Sri Lanka Customs (SLC). President’s Counsel Farzana Jameel, appearing for the petitioner, informed the court that a motion dated September 19, 2025, had been filed seeking the release of six vehicles. She informed court that a set of vehicles imported in June had been cleared without any issue, but a similar vehicle consignment was detained in August without a valid reason. Jameel argued that valid reasons for the detention must be provided to enable the petitioner to respond accordingly. She further submitted that the petitioner would then support the application for interim relief. The petitioner strongly objected to the suggestion of releasing the vehicles on a bank guarantee and instead expressed willingness to release them under a corporate guarantee. She added that there was no real basis for detaining vehicles with a motor capacity of less than 100 kilowatts. Senior Additional Solicitor General Sumathi Dharmawardena, appearing for the Director General of Sri Lanka Customs, informed the Court that Customs had already commenced an investigation into the matter in accordance with the provisions of the Customs Ordinance. He said the six vehicles were withheld to facilitate ongoing investigations. “We will consult the officers of Sri Lanka Customs and inform the Court on the next date regarding the expected period required to complete the investigation,” Dharmawardena said. He added that the investigation could be expedited with technical assistance, including the provision of scanners, and noted that the respondents reserved their right to file objections against the petition. The matter was fixed for October 23 before a two-judge bench comprising Court of Appeal President Justice Rohantha Abeysuriya and Justice Priyantha Fernando. In July 2025, Sri Lanka Customs detained two BYD shipments belonging to JKCG. Following the filing of a writ application, Customs agreed on August 7 before court to release 991 vehicles upon a bank guarantee, and a further 506 vehicles on September 3.