Police brains behind Mundalama murder?

by Jayampathy JAYASINGHE

For Piyatileke it was the most horrible thing that has ever happened in his life last Sunday. It was around 12 noon while he was standing by the roadside at Mukkuthoduwawa in the Mundalama area, close to the beach. When he noticed a cab pulling ahead of him and coming to a halt about 400 meters away from where he was.

He noticed two men who emerged from the vehicle dragging out a gunny bag which they carried along to the beach. The two men dumpes the gunny bag in the sea and hurriedly walked back to the cab. The month of June is off season for fishermen in the North Western province. The Chilaw-Puttalam coastal belt is generally deserted and the fisherfolk fish around the Eastern coast near Trincomalee and Batticoloa. Piyatilleke quickly walked up to the cab and inquired from the two about what he saw. Both denied any knowledge of a bag, but according to Piyatileke, their faces were a guilty. They started the vehicle and without saying anything further sped away towards Colombo.

Suspicious of what he saw, Piyatilleke ruling out garbage decided to call the police. He informed the Mundala police and connected to the OIC Crimes, Sub Inspector Mendis. Piyatileke narrated all what he saw and after a patient hearing SI Mendis told Piyatileke to check the contents in the bag and then to call him back.

Following his advice Piyatilleke waded into the sea, retrieved the gunny bag and found a naked body of a man. The body was cold and stiff indications of rigor mortis. The victim probably had died after a violent struggle. “ Piyatilleke rang Sub Inspector Mendis who in turn alerted all check points in the Mundalam police area. SI Mendis himself set out from his station and in less than 20 minutes, encountered the speeding cab heading towards Colombo. He followed the vehicle until it reached a check point, where the policemen manning the check point signalled the vehicle to a halt.

Sub Inspector Mendis questioned and then demanded to see their identity cards. The passenger in the front seat handed over his official identity

which indicated that he is the OIC of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), with the name and rank, Chief Inspector C.P. de Silva. It was an authentic identity card issued by the police department.

The driver handed over his identity card which showed that his name as Leslie Rajkumar, a businessman who owning a restaurant at Kirulapone.

At this stage CI Silva was getting desperate to get out of the place but was not allowed by Sub Inspector Mendis decided to arrest the two men for further questioning at the Mundalama police station.

Meanwhile the police searched the cab and recovered a revolver, a cellular mobile phone, a rubber strap and a pair of slippers. Police also took charge of the cab that belonged to Rajkumar. The two suspects were further detained by a court order to facilitate investigations. While being questioned the suspect Rajkumar in a statement to the police said that Selvarasa had committed suicide by hanging on the previous day at the restaurant. When he brought it to the notice of his friend, Chief Inspector Silva was good enough to suggest that they dump the body in the Mundalama sea. Police are now investigating into the relationship of Chief Inspector Silva and Rajkumar and whether they have any past record of any crimes.

The Mundalama Police have now learnt that the deceased T. Selvarasa (24) was an Indian national from Chennai who had arrived in Colombo on June 11 to work as a cook at a restaurant which is owned by Rajkumar at Kirulapone. Selvarasa having worked there for about two weeks left for Mannar to meet a friend, after a dispute with Rajkumar. Selvarasa’s sudden disappearance, was reported to the Wellawatte police station on June 26 by Rajkumar’s wife. However following the discovery of Selvarasa’s body, the Mundalama police launched an extensive investigation into the murder. Meanwhile a police team from Wellawatte searched the upstair residence of Rajkumar at Stafford Place, Kirulapone where they found blood stains all over the walls. Police suspect that a vain attempt has been made to wash away the evidence. The Wellawatte police thereafter took into custody Rajkumar’s wife, to be questioned further. Police now suspect that the trio, Chief Inspector Silva, Rajkumar and his wife may have links to Selvarasas death. They suspect that Selvarasa was brutally assaulted and strangled to death at Rajkumar’s residence. The JMO who conducted the postmortem examination in Colombo had given an open verdict until further reports are ready to determine the cause of death.

The Mundalama police in the course of their investigations found that Chief Inspector Silva was aware of Selvarasa’s visit to Mannar. Probably it was Rajkumar who had tipped him off. However on Chief Inspector Silva’s instructions the CID officers stationed at Vavuniya had proceeded to Medawachchiya to arrest Selvarasa. They intercepted the bus in which Selvarasa was travelling and took him into custody. Police subsequently learnt that CID officers at Vavuniya were made to understand that Selvarasa was wanted by the CID in connection with a case.

The Mundalama police in the meantime have summoned the CID officers for an inquiry in connection with the unlawful arrest. Police said that Selvarasa was brought to the Fort railway station accompanied by several CID officers. They handed him over to Chief Inspector Silva at the Fort Railway Station. Mundalama Police said Chief Inspector Silva had thereafter taken Selvarasa to Rajkumar’s residence. They suspect that Selvarasa was beaten to death at Rajkumar’s residence. What is intriguing is how the Chief Inspector and his friend carried the body of Selvarasa in the cab from Colombo to Mundalama getting past all the check points in the city and in the provinces. Only criminals have that kind of steel nerves to accomplish such a mission. What comes to our minds is that OIC, CID Chief Inspector Silva may have used his official identity card to get past check points without a hassle. Anyone else would have gone through check points without being checked.

Be that as it may, duty conscious policemen at check points are duty bound to search every vehicle irrespective of the rank of the individual travelling in vehicles. Meanwhile the suspects have been remanded until investigations are completed.