August 30, Colombo (LNW): Former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran has strongly rejected an allegation that he has legally adopted a different name, saying the claim made by a Sri Lankan government minister is untrue.
In a letter sent to Newswire on August 30, Mahendran said he had become aware of a public statement alleging that he had changed his name and insisted that there was no basis for the claim. He asked the publication to make his response known to its readers.
Mahendran signed the letter as “Lakshman Arjuna Mahendran” and gave a Singapore address.
His denial comes after Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala said authorities had received information suggesting that Mahendran was now using the name “Harjan Alexander”. The minister said the Criminal Investigation Department had been informed of the alleged change and that officials were considering other legal options to secure Mahendran’s return to Sri Lanka.
The former governor remains wanted in connection with proceedings arising from the 2015 Central Bank Treasury bond controversy. Efforts to bring him back from Singapore have faced difficulties, with authorities reportedly examining alternatives to extradition.
Mahendran’s latest intervention puts his account directly at odds with the information cited by the government, leaving the alleged name change at the centre of a fresh dispute between the former governor and Sri Lankan authorities.
