Former CCD head Nevil Silva arrested over wrongful detention of man in Ratnapura

• The ASP had allegedly aided and abetted the offence of abduction and wrongful detention

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya

The former Director of the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD), Assistant Superintendent of Police Nevil Silva, was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) yesterday and is to be produced in court today.
Police said he was arrested at the Police Field Force Headquarters.
According to the police, a complaint was lodged at the CCD in August 2023 by a gem businessman in Ratnapura when the ASP was the Director, saying that a person from that area forcibly took a stock of property including vehicles and gems worth about Rs 140 million belonging to him.
Accordingly, the ASP took the person who allegedly took the property by force into CCD custody along with the property and returned the property to the complainant unilaterally. 
Although the matter has been reported to the court, it has been revealed in the investigation that the property was handed over to the complainant without proper procedure.
Police Spokesman SSP Buddhika Manatunga said that the CID launched an investigation following the complaint that the ASP had acted in a manner favoring the complainant’s side.
During the investigation, it was revealed that the ASP had allegedly aided and abetted the offence of abduction and wrongful detention.
The arrested ASP Silva will be produced before the Ratnapura Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday (10), the spokesman said