Bribery Commission ordered to hand over Rajitha’s boat deal documents to CID

Colombo Additional Magistrate Lochani Abeywickrama yesterday issued an order directing the Bribery Commission’s Director General to hand over to the CID the documents pertaining to the fraudulent importation of eight vessels for deep sea fishing when Rajitha Senaratne was the Fisheries Minister.

When the matter was taken up, the CID informed that the Bribery Commission has also launched an investigation into the incident and the documents belonging to the Fisheries Ministry is in the possession of the Bribery Commission.

The CID also stated that despite several requests to hand over the documents to the CID, the Commission has not taken any action so far.

The CID had earlier told court that an investigation had been launched into the purchasing of the eight vessels and the leasing of Modara fishing harbour following a complaint lodged with the Public Complaints Division of the CID.

Rural and Divisional Drinking Water Supply Projects Development State Minister Sanath Nishantha Perera has lodged the complaint.

The complaint says when Rajitha Senaratne was the Fisheries Minister, his coordinating secretary Don Lalith Anuradha was involved in importing eight ships for deep sea fishing and leasing out the Modara fishing harbour. The complainant requested the CID to conduct a fair investigation into the incident and arrest the culprits.