Doctor selling intoxicants arrested in Badulla

• Legal action had been taken against the suspect doctor for similar offences earlier

By Prasanna Pathmasiri and Prasad Rukmal  

A doctor of the Badulla General Hospital was taken into custody on Tuesday night (14) by the STF on suspicion of selling intoxicants.   

He had in his possession 150 intoxicant tablets when he was arrested near Muthiyangana temple. Police said the suspect doctor attached to the hospital laboratory was a resident of Mailagasthenna and that he had been subject to legal action for similar offenses earlier.  

A senior STF official said they had received several complaints that the suspect had been selling intoxicants to young men and school children since long. The STF had carried out the raid with the help of a decoy who met the suspect near the temple and bought intoxicants.  

Badulla SSP Sujith Wedamulla said the STF handed over the suspect and the stock of tablets to Badulla police for further action.   

Meanwhile President of the Badulla District Branch of GMOA Dr. Palitha Rajapakse told the media that legal action had been taken against the suspect doctor for similar offences earlier and that the GMOA strongly condemned his misdeed that brought disrepute to the entire medical profession. He stressed that the GMOA would extend its cooperation to the police to bring the suspect doctor to book.   

Actg. HQI Badulla Police Asoka Priyadarshana said the suspect would be produced before Badulla magistrate yesterday.    

• A senior STF official said they had received several complaints that the suspect had been selling intoxicants to young men and school children