Colombo, April 28 -- Former Additional Secretary to the State Ministry of Agriculture, Mahesh Gammanpila was arrested over a financial fraud involving the import of organic fertiliser from China's Qingdao Seawin Biotech in 2021.

He was arrested by the investigation officials of the Bribery Commission at the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption for incurring a loss of USD 6.9 million to the state.

The former Additional Secretary had instructed to open Letters of Credit, which were later suspended, related to the substandard shipment of organic fertiliser from China's Qingdao Seawin Biotech, which had led to the payment of USD 6.9 million amounting to 75 percent of the first shipment.

He is to be produced before...