Sri Lanka, Feb. 23 -- Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama ordered the temporary lifting of the foreign travel ban on the fifth suspect in the 2021 Sathosa garlic scam case.

The order followed a request by President's Counsel Kalinga Indatissa, representing the suspect, during the court session.

The ban is lifted from February 20 to March 31, 2026.

As a condition for the temporary release, the court imposed an additional personal bail of Rs. 5 million.

The case involves the sale of 54,860 kilograms of white garlic, originally intended for public sale at subsidised prices, to a private business without following tender procedures.

This transaction reportedly caused a loss of over Rs. 17 million to the government.

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