Sujeewa Senasinghe’s luxury vehicle lawfully imported, Magistrate orders CID to release it

By T.Farook Thajudeen 

Fort Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali yesterday 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.