Complaint to British Foreign Secratary –Ed Miliband
British High Commission Political Advisor Under Fire Over Family
Ties to VAT Fraud Fugitive
By Foreign Affairs
Correspondent
COLOMBO, September 7,
2026 – A formal complaint has been lodged with UK Foreign
Secretary David Miliband concerning Insaf Bakeer Markkar, the Political Advisor
at the British High Commission in Colombo, amid serious allegations of bias and
undisclosed family connections to one of Sri Lanka's largest financial crimes.
Multiple political
parties have accused Mr. Markkar of deliberately providing misleading
information to the British High Commissioner, creating concerns about UK
diplomatic impartiality. However, the most explosive allegation centres on his
family ties to Mohammed Kamil Kuthubdeen, the fugitive mastermind behind the
Rs. 3.9 billion VAT fraud case .
Kuthubdeen, who has
been evading justice since 2007, was recently reported detained in Oman while
attempting to cross from Dubai. An Interpol Red Notice remains active for his
arrest following the Supreme Court's affirmation of his 20-year sentence .
The Core Question:
Disclosure and Due Diligence
The complaint asks
whether Mr. Markkar disclosed these family connections when applying for his
sensitive diplomatic post. In Sri Lanka, family affiliations are widely
considered influential in professional conduct, raising questions about
potential conflicts of interest.
Under the UK's
Diplomatic Service Code and the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010,
political appointees to senior diplomatic roles are subject to due diligence,
including identifying "any reputational risks or potential conflicts of
interests" . The complainant argues that connections to a convicted
fugitive in a major corruption case constitute a significant conflict that
should have been disclosed and assessed.
Undermining
Anti-Corruption Efforts
Critics argue that an
advisor connected to a fugitive from a massive VAT fraud case cannot credibly
assist the UK government and British High Commission in fighting corruption .
The complaint alleges this represents a direct conflict with UK government
policy, which has previously supported anti-corruption efforts in Sri Lanka.
Response Sought
The
Foreign Secretary's office has not yet commented. However, previous UK
government documents indicate that for senior appointments, pre-appointment
interviews are required to "discuss any conflicts of interests and how
these will be managed" . The complaint urges a full investigation
into the appointment process and Mr. Markkar's continued suitability for the
role.