Former State Minister for Housing Akram Kamaluddin has appealed a lower court order to seize his passport in connection with a corruption investigation into a housing project.
The Criminal Court issued an order to seize Akram's passport until February 18 at the request of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) after beginning an inquiry into the Gedhoruveriya scheme.
In his appeal filed at the High Court, Akram said the lower court's order was issued in violation of judicial rules and highlighted several points.
Akram said he was cooperating with the ACC investigation and that he had not been questioned since January 2024 until his passport was seized.
The appeal further states that Akram was politically responding to the allegations and did not have a history of fleeing to authorities. He added that there was insufficient evidence in the case.
He requested the High Court to quash the "unlawful" order.
The passports of several people, including Akram, were seized at a time when it emerged that lands allocated under the Binveriya scheme had been sold to people who were ineligible.
The ACC and police are investigating the case. The main suspect is former Managing Director of Housing Development Corporation (HDC) Fazul Rasheed. His brother Fazeel Rasheed was among those who bought lands with the forged documents.
