Arrest of top politicians, Govt. officials imminent

by Ranil Wijayapala

The Financial Crime Investigations Division (FCID) is tipped to arrest several politicians and top government officials in the next few days, for alleged financial frauds, top government sources told the Sunday Observer.

The FCID, on the request of the Commissioner of Elections temporarily halted its process of summoning politicians, who were candidates at the August 17 parliamentary election, to record statements as it would have proved disadvantageous in the run up to an election.

“The FCID has commenced recording statements from those politicians by summoning them to the FCID,” Police spokesman ASP Ruwan Gunasekara said.

The Sunday Observer learns the FCID has sufficient evidence to arrest some politicians allegedly involved in financial frauds and are ready to make several arrests in the coming days.

According to sources, the FCID has already completed investigations on an alleged land deal by Western Province Chief Minister Prasanna Ranatunga who has been elected to Parliament from the UPFA, with over 300,000 preferential votes.

Top sources also said, preliminary information has been submitted to the FCID relating to the distribution of sil redi among Buddhist devotees during elections using State funds. In this connection, former Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga and Chairman, Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC), Anusha Pelpita, are expected to be further questioned.

The FCID did not make any arrests in this regard but has completed its investigations and the next steps are inevitable, FCID sources said.

The investigation into the release of Rs.5 million to ‘Tharunyayata Hetak’ organization for ‘awareness creation regarding capital markets’ by the Securities and Exchange Commission(SEC) has concluded. According to the sources, the top three implicated in the investigations are former SEC Chairman Nalaka Godahewa, its Deputy Director General Dhammika Perera and a top official of the Tharunyayata Hetak organization, sources added.

The FCID has also completed investigations involving former Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa for alleged misuse of Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) funds to buy goods from the Cooperative Wholesale Establishment(CWE) to be distributed among the voters during an election campaign.

“Due to the election, it was not possible to carry forward several investigations and also to take action with regard to the offenders linked to investigations already concluded. Now that the election is over, there is every intention to complete investigations and take action against wrongdoers, where investigations have been concluded,” the source added.