Sri Lankan court extends travel ban on former central bank chief

A Sri Lankan court on Monday extended a travel ban imposed on former central bank chief Ajith Nivard Cabraal.

The Colombo chief magistrate issued an order to extend the travel ban on Cabraal to May 2, after a previous travel ban imposed on April 7 by the court expired on Monday, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Cabraal is facing a legal challenge after a case was filed against him in court by a former Southern Province governor through a private plaint filed under the Code of Criminal Procedure Act.

He was appointed as the central bank governor in September 2021 and resigned from his position early this month after the resignation en masse of cabinet ministers. Cabraal has been under criticism partly for his reluctance to seek assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) while lacking foreign currencies has led to fuel shortages and hours-long power cuts in the country.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday sworn in 17 new cabinet ministers after a wave of protests that swept the country earlier this month.

Mass protests over economic mismanagement escalated in early April, prompting the president to declare a state of emergency on April 1. On April 3, the entire Sri Lankan cabinet decided to resign in the wake of the large-scale protests. The only exception was Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, who remained in office. On the same day, Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed key ministers to an interim cabinet.

Sri Lanka has been gripped by an economic crisis considered the worst since the country gained independence in 1948. The recession is attributed to foreign exchange shortages caused by the decrease in tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sri Lanka's foreign debt is estimated at $51 billion.

High-level delegations of Sri Lanka and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are expected to meet in Washington later on Monday to discuss the re-restructuring of Sri Lankan debt and a possible bailout.

( With inputs from ANI )

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