The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has initiated a probe on the Acting Magistrate over her verdict delivered on a court case filed against Asiri Medical Hospital.

The probe is to ascertain whether the Acting Magistrate committed a professional misconduct while Maligakanda Chief Magistrate – Lochani Abewickrama Weerasinghe was on leave by delivering a biased verdict in favour of the Asiri Medical Hospital.

This is with regard to the case where the hospital was accused of selling 11 drugs beyond the MRP set as per the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) Act.

The complaint filed with the JSC states that the Acting Magistrate in question – Himali Ekanayake and the Attorney-At-Law Dhanushka Weerasinghe, who had presented the motion on behalf of the private hospital, are batchmates.

Previously, notice was issued to all 11 respondents in the case which includes the group’s directors – Vishal Bali, Ashoka Kariyawasam Pathirage, Ankur Nand Thadani, Karunamuni Manjula Prasanna Karunaratne, Sudarshan Ahangama, Gardiyar Lokuge Harris Premaratne, Sivakumar Sellaiya, Haresh Kumar Kaimal and Ajith Karunaratne as well as Assistant Billing Manager – B.D. Sadathisaru.

However, when the additional magistrate had taken up the case, the hospital had pleaded guilty and was fined Rs. 25,000.

Amid the controversy, the case was taken up again by the Maligakanda Chief Magistrate – Lochani Abewickrama Weerasinghe. In response, the hospital and its Board of Directors filed a case at the Court of Appeal, naming Justice Lochani as a respondent.