Elephants fraud case; suspect remanded

by Sarath Malalasekera

Samarappuli Niraj Roshan, who is alleged to have possessed five elephants without valid documents was on Friday further remanded until March 24 by Colombo Chief Magistrate and Additional District Judge Gihan Pilapitiya. Police sources said a key witness in the case had fled the country. The Criminal Investigation Department who is conducting investigations into the elephants fraud said that the documents produced by the suspect have been forged the CID is conducting investigations to ascertain the whereabouts of the other elephants captured illegally from the jungle.

One of the main witnesses to the incident had left the country, the CID said. President's Counsel Kalinga Indatissa, Senior counsel for the suspect Roshan, moving for bail submitted that the documents produced by the investigators have not been approved by the Edq.

Citing several authorities the counsel Indatissa submitted that his client was in possession of the elephants in question legally.

The case will be called again on March 24.