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The battle between Colombo Central UNP Parliamentarian, Mohamed Maharoof and Municipal Councillor T. M. Sanghadasa took a different turn on Friday when Sanghadasa lodged a complaint with the CID accusing Maharoof over a galvanised sheet scandal.

In his complaint Sanghadasa has claimed that a stock of galvanised sheets donated by the Indian government for free distribution among the peasants in Colombo Central had been reportedly sold with the connivance of Maharoof to a trader at Wattala with the assistance of a person identified as a UNP organiser named C. V. Pushpanandan of St. James Street, Mutwal.

The stock of galvanised sheets had been allegedly sold for Rs. 1.5 million and had been bought by a trader in Wattala identified as Manoharan alias Mano. The reported deal had taken place in June 2004. Sanghadasa had further claimed that the police had apprehended some suspects while they were removing the 'Not For Sale' markings on the sheets.

He had complained to the CID that if Pushpanandan was arrested and questioned, it would help the investigators to blow the lid off. Meanwhile, several peasants in Colombo Central have sent a letter to President Mahinda Rajapaksa urging the President to order a fresh probe into the scandal as the key suspects were at large, due to political clout.

Official sources said that the detectives had already moved into action on the complaint and Pushpanandan, a key suspect was likely to be arrested shortly for questioning. "We will also question every person named in the complaint irrespective of their social status", a high ranking CID officer said.

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