says no probe against them yet

By Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana   

The Department of Immigration and Emigration have commenced its own investigation on the Chinese national who was taken into custody trying to enter Sri Lanka with a forged passport last week, and stated there was no update about any inquiry against them as said by the subject Minister Tiran Alles.   

A senior official of the department told the Daily Mirror that they have impounded the passport of the Chinese national and had let him go free until the inquiry is over. 

The Chinese national had however been asked to report to the departmental head office today for further investigations. The officials are probing whether the arrested foreigner is linked to any unlawful activity in Sri Lanka.   

Meanwhile, when asked, departmental spokesperson Deputy Controller Hansika Kumarasinghe said it was too early to give an update about any internal inquiry to take place against the department as stated by its subject minister, Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles.   

A Chinese national who tried to gain access to Sri Lanka bearing two passports, a Chinese passport and a forged Guinea passport last Thursday was apprehended. He was accompanied by an Egyptian national and another Chinese national who had clean travel papers.   

Minister Tiran Alles told the media on Monday that no inquiry will be held against State Minister Arundika Fernando for influencing the Immigration officials to release the arrested Chinese nationals as anybody could make a request like that.   

But he said an inquiry should be held against the Immigration officials for obeying the wrong instructions.