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| Sunday, 19 January 2003 |
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Pramuka Bank case : CID to consult AG by Jayampathy Jayasinghe The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probing the embezzlement of Pramuka deposits of over Rs. 30 million will seek the advice of the Attorney General whether to institute extradition procedure in court to extradite Rohan Perera, the former Chairman of Pramuka Bank who fled to the UK before his passport was impounded by courts. A decision will be taken in this regard if Rohan Perera does not surrender before the Maligakanda Magistrate on January 24. CID sources told the Sunday Observer that, if an extradition order was granted by court it would be communicated to the Interpol branch, Scotland Yard, to be executed through a court order in the United Kingdom. A treaty to extradite criminal elements from both countries exists between Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, it is learnt that certain Central Bank officials are to be quizzed by the CID sleuths as to how Rohan Perera was able to float the Pramuka Bank when there was an inquiry pending against him with regard to some exchange control violations when he held the position of CEO at the Ceylan Bank earlier. Several heads of departments are being quizzed as to whether they have profited unlawfully by depositing State funds with the Pramuka Bank and obtaining "Gold Certificates" from the bank. The probe is whether heads of departments have pocketed one percent of the deposits given to them as commission by the bank. However, a Finance Ministry circular in 1977 has permitted State funds to be deposited in private banks. Scotland Yard has been alerted to trace Rohan Perera, the former Chairman of Pramuka Bank whose whereabouts in the United Kingdom are not known. However, there is speculation that Perera has slipped out of the UK and has sought refuge in an another country. The fraud has left several innocent depositors in a quandary as the Central Bank has refused to inject fresh capital to resuscitate the Pramuka Bank owing to the magnitude of the fraud. |
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