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| Sunday, 9 May 2004 |
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Massive roofing sheets racket bared by JAYAMPATHY JAYASINGHE The Colombo Detective Division (CCD) have launched an island wide investigation into the massive roofing racket perpetrated by some politicians of the former regime, mostly Members of Parliament at district level. It is learnt that 23,000 metric tonnes of roofing sheets have been imported to the country under a line of credit extended by the Indian government to provide shelter to low income groups. The roofing sheets have been imported by the Industries Ministry following the signing of an agreement between the Finance Ministry and the Indian Government. The roofing sheets have been distributed by the National Housing Development Authority among Members of Parliament, Provincial Council Members and the Western Region Development Ministry. It is learnt that each Member of Parliament has been allocated 23,360 roofing sheets to be distributed among the poor, free of charge. Colombo Crime Division's (CCD) Director, Sarath Lugoda who is investigating the massive fraud said only a few roofing sheets have been recovered from warehouses in the Colombo District. "We are investigating as to how many roofing sheets have been misappropriated altogether by persons involved in the distribution " he said. Meanwhile a team of police officers has been detailed to trace a former Member of Parliament of the Colombo District (North) following the discovery of large quantities of state owned roofing sheets at two privately owned warehouses in Colombo recently. Investigations by the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) have revealed that the MP had allegedly misappropriated the roofing sheets entrusted to him by the State to be distributed among low income groups, free of charge. The total quantity of roofing sheets misappropriated is estimated to be around Rs. 2 million. Meanwhile CCD detectives who called over at the Kotahena residence of the MP to question him with regard to the missing roofing sheets found him missing. Police soon learnt that he had fled the area with his family and his whereabouts are not known to anybody. Director Colombo Division (CCD) Sarath Lugoda said a team of police officers had been detailed to find the MP. Detectives are checking the entire quantum of the roofing sheets handed over to Members of Parliament to be distributed among low income groups. The CCD got cracking on April 30th when DIG Colombo, Sirisena Herath said that some State owned roofing sheets were available for sale in a warehouse at Kotahena. The detectives rushed to a warehouse at Cyril C Perera Mawatha, Kotahena and found a man with a piece of cloth erasing the Not For Sale mark on the roofing sheets with solvents. There were 1670 roofing sheets altogether (10 ft by 2.5 ft) stacked in the warehouse. Of the 1670 roofing sheets, Police found 557 sheets did not contain the Not For Sale mark. Police soon learnt that a broker was involved in the deal who had brought the stuff there. Subsequently the broker was arrested at Kotahena and he disclosed that the former Member of Parliament had handed over the roofing sheets to be disposed at Rs. 350 a sheet. The businessman had then revealed that another consignment of roofing sheets were available at a different warehouse in Bandaranaike Mawatha, Kotahena area. Police raided the warehouse and recovered additional 3504 roofing sheets with the same Not For Sale mark. CCD detectives then swooped on a third warehouse in Grandpass area and recovered another 2336 roofing sheets stacked in a corner bearing the Not For Sale mark. Following the raid the second businessman and a broker were taken into custody. According to police both brokers have been the close associates of the former Colombo District MP who had worked for him during the last parliamentary elections. The suspects have been produced before courts and remanded, police said. Meanwhile the Wellampitiya police too have recovered 3700 roofing sheets from a shop which was allegedly handed over by a Western Provincial Councillors. Detectives have already recorded the statement the Mayor of Kolonnnawa Municipal Council in this regard. The MP concerned will be questioned in this regard, Police said. |
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