By T. Farook Thajudeen

Colombo, Nov 25 (Daily Mirror) - Fort Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali today ordered the CID to release former MP Sujeewa Senasinghe’s controversial luxury vehicle, which was in CID custody, to its owner.

The Magistrate directed the CID to release the vehicle to its lawful owner, Sujeewa Senasinghe, observing that the SUV had been imported to the country legally and following due procedures.

At the onset of the inquiry today the CID filed a report before the court submitting that their investigations had revealed that the SUV vehicle had been brought to the country by its original owner former Parliamentarian J. Sri Ranga as a duty-free vehicle. Thereafter, the vehicle was used by Ranga and it met with an accident in Settikulam before it was sold to the present owner Sujeewa Senasinghe.

However, the CID submitted that the signature in the MT 2 form appears to be of the former owner and there are doubts about the signature in the MT 6 form on which the CID is conducting further investigations.

Counsel Maitree Gunaratna PC, Counsel Farmin Cassim PC, Counsel Harith Hettiarachchi appearing with Attorneys-at-Law Padma Sriyan Puinchihewa, Ahmed Thalal and Fathima Falilalh contended that if there are doubts about the signature in form MT6 it should be scrutinised by the Government Analyst and that up to now no complaints have been made by anyone to the CID or to the Police. Therefore, keeping the vehicle in CID custody is unethical and unlawful.

Counsel Haritha Hettiarachchi strongly underscored the fact that the whole episode of searching Senasinghe's house was done maliciously by obtaining a search warrant by the CID while misleading the court, claiming that there are LTTE uniforms in the premises of Senasinghe and subsequently claiming that the  SUV vehicle which is worth around Rs. 100 million, used by Senasinghe is suspected to have been assembled illegally.

On November 11, the Fort Magistrate’s Court ordered the CID to take the former MP’s vehicle into custody and produce it to the Government Analyst’s Department and obtain a report.  

The vehicle in question which is currently in the custody of the CID was ordered by the Magistrate to be released to Sujeewa Senasinghe on a bond of Rs 100 million.

The case was postponed for  February 5, 2025.