Businessman and close associate of President Chandrika Kumaratunga, Ronnie Peiris, took a flight out of the country on the eve of the general elections which brought the United National Party to power.

Peiris was on the same flight taken on Tuesday by Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna leader Somawansa Amarasinghe. Both went to London via the Maldives on a SriLankan flight, airport sources said.

The government and the Bank of Ceylon recently came under attack by the United National Party for allegedly waiving off huge interest on loans obtained by Peiris. The UNP demanded an investigation and an explanation from BOC chairman Ken Balendra.