Three employees who defrauded Rs.20 million Court orders CID to investigate

• The suspects are currently out on bail and their passports have been impounded

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda  

The Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court yesterday issued an order directing the CID to immediately conduct an investigation against three suspects including Samagi Jana Balawegaya Jaffna Valikaman South West Pradeshiya Sabha candidate and his wife for allegedly defrauding a sum of Rs.20 million belonging to a resident company through cheque transactions.  

Mount Lavinia Magistrate Kosala Senadheera made this order when the magisterial inquiry against Pradeshiya Sabha candidate Karupaiah Morgan Sundaram, his wife Navaratne Raza Hansapriya and Arun de Nathan came up for inquiry.  

The Criminal Investigation Department submitted to the court that the investigation has not been completed as it is necessary to record statements from several other suspects regarding the incident.  
The CID commenced investigations into this incident based on a complaint made by the chairman of Nugegoda Blue Ocean Resident Pvt. Company alleging that the suspects had defrauded a sum of Rs.20 million through cheque transactions while they were serving as the chief planner, engineer and accountant of the  company in 2018.  

The Magistrate questioned as to why police failed to conclude the investigation into the incident for a period of five years and ordered the police to immediately conduct the investigation.  

The suspects are currently out on bail and their passports have been impounded.  

President’s Counsel Anura Maddegoda appearing on behalf of the aggrieved company moved Court that police be ordered to expedite the investigation since they have taken a five-year period.   
Senior Counsel Ajith Pathirana contended that there is no cause of action against the suspects.  
Further magisterial inquiry was fixed for January 26 next year.     

•  The Magistrate questioned police for their failure to conclude investigations into the incident for a period of five years