VFS scam : No Bail for Ilukpitiya, Remains jailed since September

The Supreme Court has rejected a bail application filed on behalf of the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration, Harsha Ilukpitiya, who is in remand custody over contempt of court charges. 

Harsha Ilukpitiya has been in remand custody for nearly six months after the Supreme Court ordered him to be remanded in September 2025 for failing to implement the Court’s order regarding the controversial visa issuance system by global visa processing service, VFS Global.

The visa issuance system by global visa processing service, VFS Global and its charges came under the spotlight last year after a local passenger had raised concerns over the process, with the video of the incident widely circulated on social media.

A probe launched by the Committee on Public Finance also found that VFS Global had been selected without calling for official bids and had resulted in the Department of Immigration and Emigration losing out on receiving competitive rates for visa issuance.

In August last year, the Supreme Court issued an Interim Order temporarily halting the Cabinet’s decision to outsource its visa application process to GBS Technology Services & IVS Global- FZCO, a VFS VF Worldwide Holdings LTD-led consortium.

The court ordered the reinstatement of the previous quick Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) process, which the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration, Harsha Ilukpitiya, failed to comply with, resulting in his arrest. 

The lack of a proper visa issuance system at the time severely inconvenienced tourists visiting Sri Lanka, with long queues regularly reported at the visa counters at the Katunayake Airport. (Islandnews)