Sri Lankan parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa has been indicted on 24 charges over an alleged LKR100 million rupee (USD300,000) bribe linked to a historic aircraft deal between SriLankan Airlines (UL, Colombo International) and Airbus, with 59 witnesses listed in the case, local media report.

Rajapaksa appeared before the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar on October 28, 2026. The indictment also names Shamindra Rajapaksa, Priyanka Niyomalie, and Biz Solutions (Pvt) Ltd.

The longstanding case was adjourned again until November 19, 2026, following previous postponements.

Namal Rajapaksa, who has denied wrongdoing, will remain in custody, broadcaster News1st reported. He is the son of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, who has also been questioned in connection with the case.

The indictment follows an investigation into alleged payments linked to SriLankan Airlines' USD2.9 billion 2013 deal with Airbus to acquire six A330-300s, of which five were delivered, and four A350-900s, which were not.

In 2021, SriLankan Airlines sought USD1 billion in damages and compensation from Airbus over alleged corruption associated with the aircraft procurement. The carrier also sought the cancellation of its outstanding A350 commitments and the return of USD19 million in pre-delivery payments.

In 2025, SriLankan Airlines' new management demanded USD223.3 million in compensation from the manufacturer over the transaction, which had been cancelled in 2015 at a cost of USD98 million.

Rajapaksa was arrested on September 4, 2026, after questioning by Sri Lanka's anti-corruption commission. The commission alleges that a total of EUR1.45 million euros (USD1.62 million) and USD800,000 were paid in connection with the aircraft transaction, with USD800,000 allegedly transferred through a Singapore bank account held by Biz Solutions Inc. to an account belonging to Sabre Vision Holdings, a company owned by a Sri Lankan businessman. Investigators allege that the businessman subsequently paid the equivalent of LKR100 million in bribes in 2014 and 2015, News1st reported.

The commission said its case draws on statements from the businessman, information obtained from Airbus officials in France, and documentary and electronic evidence.