By T.Farook Thajudeen

Fort Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali today ordered the CID (Criminal Investigation Department) to release former MP Sujeewa Senasinghe’s controversial luxury vehicle to him.

The magistrate made this direction after observing that the SUV had been lawfully imported into the country and that the due procedure for importing the vehicle had been followed.

At the onset of the inquiry yesterday the CID filing a report in court submitted that their investigations had revealed that the SUV had been brought to the country by its original owner Ex Parliamentarian J. Sri Ranga as a duty-free vehicle. Thereafter the vehicle was used by Mr. Ranga and it had 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 is a doubt about the signature in MT 6 form, on which the CID is conducting further investigations.

Counsel Maitree Gunaratne PC, Counsel Farmin Cassim PC, Counsel Harith Hettiarachchi appearing with Attorneys-at-law Padma Sriyan Punchihewa, Ahmed Thalal and Fathima Falilalh contended that if there is a doubt about the signature in form MT6 it should be scrutinized by the Government Analyst and up to now no complaint is made by anyone to the CID or 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 the house of Mr. Senasinghe was done maliciously by obtaining a search warrant by misleading the court by the CID claiming that there are LTTE uniforms in the premises of Mr. Senasinghe and subsequently claimed that the SUV which is worth around Rs. 100 million, used by Mr.Senasinghe is suspected to have been illegally assembled.

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.