Tattoo shop owner says criminal ‘Loku Patty’ forced him to invite ’Club Wasantha’

Then I sent Patty a quotation for the equipment needed for the shop. After that, he sent Rs. 2,000,000 through someone.

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya

The owner of the tattoo studio, Dulan Sanjula, who was arrested in connection with the Athurugiriya shooting incident, confessed to police that he intended to invite singer K.Sujeewa for the shop opening and underworld criminal ‘Loku Patty’ compelled him to invite Surendra Wasantha Perera, known as ‘Club Wasantha.’   He has said that he received money from ‘Loku Patty,’ suspected to be in Dubai, to open the studio.  Seven individuals, including the owner of the tattoo studio, have been arrested in relation to the shooting and produced in the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court yesterday.   However, Sanjula told the police that ‘Loku Patty’ did not disclose why Club Wasantha should be invited for the shop opening.   “Patty called and asked how much it would cost to set up the shop. I told him it would cost around Rs. 15 to 20 lakhs. He asked if I could make money from it, and I said yes,” he said.  

The owner told police that Patty, who lives abroad, does not take video calls but only WhatsApp calls. He said Patty once took a video call to see the shop.  

“Then I sent Patty a quotation for the equipment needed for the shop. After that, he sent Rs. 2,000,000 through someone.”  

“After that, I searched for a shop. I informed Patty when I found one. He then deposited Rs. 600,000 into my brother’s account for the shop’s rent because I didn’t have an account. He asked who would attend the shop opening. I told him that I knew singer Sujeewa and planned to invite her. Patty then asked if I knew Wasantha. I asked which Wasantha, and he specified Club Wasantha. I told that I had been watching his videos on social media since childhood and was a big fan of his. However, I informed that I didn’t know him personally. Patty then explained that Wasantha had a large fan base, and if we shared our shop posts on his social media, it could give us good publicity. Patty asked me to call and check. I said I didn’t have his number. Patty then sent me a screenshot of a Facebook page with Wasantha sir’s location and contact number of his wife.”  

He told the police that Patty had deposited Rs.785,000 to him again.  

When police questioned the shop owner about why Patty insisted on inviting Wasantha to the opening, the show owner said that Patty did not reveal the reason. “Patty asked me to contact Wasantha. He also instructed me not to disclose that He was funding the shop. He warned me that if Wasantha found out that Patty was funding the shop with drug money, he would be frightened,” he said.  

When Police asked if Patty had threatened him, the owner replied that Patty had emphasized that since he had invested a lot of money into the shop and urged him not to cancel the opening because he warned him that he had both a good and a bad side.