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Report Misinterpreted? Minister Defends Coal Procurement (Video) -
A heated debate unfolds as Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe challenges critical sections of the Auditor General’s report, insisting there was no fraud in the controversial coal importation process. Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe says that several facts presented in the Auditor General’s report submitted in relation to the controversial coal importation incident are not acceptable, raising fresh questions about the accuracy and interpretation of the findings. The Minister made this statement while participating in the 360 program aired on TV Derana last night (20), where the issue of the coal procurement controversy and the Auditor General’s observations were discussed in detail. He further emphasized that the Auditor General’s report did not explicitly state that any fraud had taken place, but instead pointed out certain possible situations, which he believes have been misinterpreted in the public and political discourse. Follow The Morning Telegraph WhatsApp Channel Get breaking updates, instant alerts, and exclusives. Join Now Speaking at the program, Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe said, ”Therefore, the government’s position is that there was no fraud in this incident. That is what I and our ministers are saying. Then, in an environment where there was no fraud, a vote of no confidence is brought in Parliament. We know that the government will win with a majority. That is an expected situation.. It is very clear that not only the government’s position, but we do not believe that there has been any deficiency in the procurement process in this process. Then the Auditor General’s report should say that this Procurement Commission, or this registration under the procurement conditions, did not take place at this time.. That is why this should be said to be irrelevant. There is a letter written by the Procurement Commission in August 2025.. The relevant presentation in the Auditor General’s report is wrong.. There is a letter written to the bidders… At the time of this Auditor General’s report, 4980 deposits were made, why are 20 being returned.. He then took the document. “I know that there was a 20 shortfall at the time of the transaction. That’s why they are saying that the money was not paid properly… That’s what I’m saying. There are problems with the way some of these reports came and the way some of the facts were compiled in them. This is not to say that the Auditor General’s report is wrong. This is to say that some of the facts and parts in ...
When We Said Low-quality Coal Had Been Imported, The Government Denied ...
We, as the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), have on several occasions informed the country that a highly corrupt transaction has taken place in the process of importing coal, which is a major energy source for electricity generation in Sri Lanka. We also lodged a complaint with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption regarding the irregularities in this tender for substandard coal. However, no action appears to have been taken so far. Despite the evidence we presented regarding the fraud involving the import of low-quality coal, the current National People’s Power (NPP) government dismissed our claims and has been acting arrogantly, attempting to conceal its wrongdoing from the public. In addition to the revelations made by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, the resignation statement made by the former chairman of the coal company, the findings revealed during the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development, and the report of the Public Utilities Commission all exposed the real situation of the financial losses caused by the burning of substandard coal. Subsequently, the Auditor General’s report revealed the irregularities from the tender process to the importation of coal, and the extent of financial losses caused to the country. However, while the government continued to deny all these allegations, a recently released audio recording related to the emergency procurement of coal created widespread public controversy. The chairman of the coal company has now confirmed the authenticity of that audio recording. Furthermore, we have already filed a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to investigate the names mentioned in the recording and their connections to the coal procurement process. We have on multiple occasions exposed alleged under-the-table dealings between well-known businessmen in the country and ministers of the current government, including President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. It is now becoming evident that this coal procurement deal is another such incident. As allegations against them are being revealed one by one, the government, which remained silent until now, has begun staging another drama. The resignation of the corrupt minister and the ministry secretary is an attempt to divert public attention from the multi-billion-rupee loss caused to the country through the importation of substandard coal. We believe that the minister in charge of the subject, the Pre...
Some findings in Auditor General's coal import report unacceptable ...
Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe has stated that certain findings in the Auditor General's report on the controversial coal importation cannot be accepted. He made these remarks while participating in the '360' programme aired on TV Derana last night (20).
Audit Reports - Comptroller and Auditor General of India
Report of the CAG on Subject Specific Compliance Audits 11 February 2026 Performance Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India on Operational Performance of NLC India Limited Government Ministry of Coal No. 35 of 2025 (Performance Audit-Commercial) Download Full Report (PDF 6.36 MB) 02 April 2026 Financial
