Businessman held in controversial Benz car deal

by Jayampathy Jayasinghe

Hemantha Nishantha (33), the businessman who was the alleged owner of the controversial Benz car was taken in for questioning by sleuths of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at a safe house at Kiribathgoda on Thursday.

He was absconding for some time following the alleged Benz car deal involving several politicians.

CID sleuths were on his trail when they found that he was allegedly involved in the killing of his first wife over a dispute. The incident occurred in 2004 at Maharagama. The victim's father lodged a complaint with the CID alleging his son's involvement in the murder.

Following a report filed in court, Hemantha's wife's body was exhumed a few months ago at a public cemetery in Piliyandala to conduct further investigations. Hemantha was also wanted by the CID in connection with the murder of a man who was suspected in killing Nishantha's brother at Maharagama in 2004. "We are investigating the motive of the killing," CID sources said.