Sri Lanka, May 16 -- The Colombo High Court ordered the defence statement to be called in the case filed against former Deputy Minister Sarana Gunawardena, who is charged with misusing a vehicle belonging to the Development Lotteries Board while serving as its chairman in 2007.

Colombo High Court Judge R.S.S. Sapuwida delivered the ruling.

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption filed the case against Gunawardena, alleging that he caused a loss of nine hundred and sixty thousand rupees to the government by misusing a vehicle from the Development Lotteries Board, which he obtained on a lease basis, during his tenure as chairman from August 1, 2007, to August 1, 2008.

The hearing was to determine if the defenda...