Sajin fears arrest imminent

Police spokesman: 'We don't know how he reached this conclusion':

by Manjula Fernando

Former Monitoring MP for External Affairs Ministry Sajin de Vass Gunawardena claimed that the Government was planning to unlawfully arrest him over allegations of misuse of public funds.

He told the Sunday Observer: "The two cases filed against me are civil actions. I cannot be charged under the Penal Code for criminal action based on civil matters."

Gunawardane's claims were refuted by Police Spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera, who claimed that he did not know how the MP concluded that an arrest warrant is to be issued soon.

"We don't know how he reached this conclusion," the Police Spokesperson said. Gunawardena was twice summoned before the FCID recently to record statements over two separate cases of misuse of public funds. The Bribery Commission is investigating another case against him.According to the MP, one case before FCID involves two luxury buses purchased for CHOGM 2013 events by the External Affairs Ministry being used by the family of former Uva province Chief Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa and on a separate occasion by Gunawardena himself.

"I have been framed for taking my two young sons to Pinnawala in one of the buses. The trip was an official one, the officials were going to Pinnawala for an inspection tour where the spouses of the Heads of government were scheduled to visit. I took my small fellows along. I don't know how it can be construed as an offence."

He had written to the IGP that the other case was about defaulting of a lease contract by Cosmic Constructions, a company owned by him to People's Leasing.

"If I am taken action by the FCID, then they must take action against all clients who are in arreas of their payments to all government banks and financial institutions," he said.

Gunawardena said there was strong indications that the FCID was waiting for instructions to arrest him.

He had written to the IGP on two occasions, once on March 18 and again on March 24 on the matter. "I am yet to receive a response from the IGP," he said."Indeed, the FCID is investigating the MP on the said cases," the police spokesman said refuting claims that they were not following the proper procedure. "We are proceeding with the Attorney General's advice and the cases are in accordance with due judicial processes."

Gunawardena was a powerful figure in the Rajapaksa Government and has been accused both inside and outside of Parliament for amassing unknown proportion of wealth by illegal means, also while functioning as CEO of Mihin Lanka, in addition to politicising the Foreign Service.