Abducted businessman, a hoax concocts story to seek UK visa

By Jayamapthy Jayasinghe

Extensive investigations by the police on the disappearance of a businessman at Kotahena who was abducted by two men travelling in a white van turned out to be a big hoax when it was revealed that suspect Indika Perera (33) had concocted a story to seek permanent residency in the United Kingdom. The suspect was later traced hiding in a house at Mahabage by a police party led by the Kotahena police.

Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (S/DIG) Jayantha Wickramaratne addressing a hurriedly summoned media conference at the Kotahena police station yesterday said that the son-in-law of a Senior Superintendent of Police at Police headquarters was the suspect who had concocted this story that he was abducted by two men travelling in a white van at George R. de Silva Mawatha, Kotahena last Friday. Suspect Indika Perera's wife had lodged a complaint at the Kotahena police station about her husband's abduction, he said.

The Senior DIG said his father-in-law, the SSP had informed police headquarters about the abduction when his daughter had telephoned him about the disappearance of her husband. He probably wasn't aware of what had taken place. Suspect Indika Perera (33) who had a visa to travel to the United Kingdom concocted this story for his benefit." The idea was to show that Sri Lanka was not safe so that he could seek permanent residency in the United Kingdom, he said."

He said during the past few months the CID had rounded up several suspects from the Air Force, STF and the Police and others involved in several abductions and had seized vans and firearms in their possession. The matter is being further investigated by the police.

DIG Wickramaratne said although a son-in-law of a senior police officer was involved. The police will not show any mercy for this type of crime that brings disrepute to the country.

Senior Superintendent of Police Colombo North M. Kulasekera said a police party led by Kotahena police found the suspect hiding in a house at Mahabage along with another man.

When they first visited the scene of the crime at Kotahena they found Nihal Perera, a relative of the suspect who said that Indika Perera was abducted by two men who came to George R. De Silva Mawatha last Friday around 4.30. p.m. However when questioned he was unable to show the exact location where he was abducted. "We questioned several boutique-keepers and taxi drivers from the location and learnt that such a thing did not happen there."

"We traced Indika Perera and another man named Jayasena in a house at Mahabage around 1.30. a.m. They were found lying on mats in a house under construction at Mahabage. Later we questioned Nihal Perera and learnt that suspect Indika Perera had cooked up the story for his benefit.