• Complaint filed with CIABOC

A complaint was lodged last week with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) by Voice Against Corruption Convener Wasantha Samarasinghe against the former head of the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID).  

According to the complaint, Retd. Senior DIG Ravi Waidyalankara has allegedly acted in a manner that prejudices the ongoing judicial proceedings against the ongoing court case related to the leasing of 43 acres at Transworks Square, Colombo Fort.

In the complaint lodged by Samarasinghe, which was seen by The Sunday Morning, it is stated that his organisation had filed a complaint with the FCID on 26 December 2015 regarding the fraud that had occurred in the leasing of 43 acres at Transworks Square. 

Investigations related to this complaint have been carried out and a case has been filed in the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court under No. B/195/2016. 

Anura Premaratne, who had worked as the Chief Police Inspector of Unit 7 of the FCID, had reported the facts to court, and it had been stated that the computer information of Krrish should be examined in relation to this matter. 

Regardless, on 12 July 2016, Krrish Transworks Group Ltd. Director Janaki Siriwardena had reportedly sent letters to then Senior DIG of the FCID Ravi Waidyalankara, containing the following facts and requests.  

“(Annexure 1) In that letter, it is mentioned that Krrish Company has sponsored the Carlton Rugby Tournament and all related documents have been handed over to the Financial Crimes Investigation Division. It had further stated that according to the law of Sri Lanka, the organisation had not committed any wrongdoing and that he had become a victim due to these investigations,” Samarasinghe stated in his complaint.

“The letter states that this investigation has directly affected the company’s banking facilities and project activities including construction and requests that the company issue a letter confirming that this investigation will not interfere with the relations maintained by the company with contractors, bankers, and other relevant authorities. Ravi Waidyalankara, who responded to the same letter submitted by the company on 12 July 2016, has given the following confirmation under the title of the investigation related to the sponsoring of the rugby tournament by Krrish Transworks (Annexure 2),” it is further alleged.

That is, the FCID has confirmed that it will no longer take legal action against Krrish Transworks Group and, according to the ongoing investigations, it has not been revealed that Krrish Transworks Group has committed any wrongdoing or fraud. 

Waidyalankara had confirmed that the relevant company had not committed any wrongdoing and that no further legal action would be taken against the said company, despite the fact that FCID Unit 7 Station Commander Chief Police Inspector Anura Premaratne had reported to the court that the computers belonging to Krrish should be examined, Samarasinghe has stated in his complaint.

“It is our complaint that the head of the institution that conducted the investigation related to the judicial matter in the case is issuing a letter accusing the company on the basis of taking a bribe from the relevant company. It appears from the nature of financial crimes that have occurred in this country that when there is a case related to an ongoing serious financial crime, the head of the relevant investigating agency acquits the company suspected of being involved in the crime. We present a document confirming the relationship between this company and the former head of the Financial Crimes Investigation Division as Attachment 3,” it is also alleged.

Accordingly, Samarasinghe in his complaint has urged the commission that a formal investigation be conducted on this fraudulent practice.