Connect with us

News

CID chief informed of investigators discriminating against gem broker

Published

on

Lawyers appearing for a suspect in an alleged gem related cheating case have urged the Director CID Kavinda Priyasekera not to allow investigators to act in a discriminatory manner against a gem broker who had facilitated the sale of a package of gems belonging to a Colombo gem dealer to a Ratnapura gem merchant.

The Ratnapura buyer had allegedly paid cash and for the balance sum due issued three cheques to the value of Rs 97.5 million and given to the Colombo owner-dealer of gems as security at a meeting arranged by the broker.But the Colombo dealer had deposited to his company account the three cheques, all of which had got dishonoured.

The investigators had not even questioned the Ratnapura buyer for over a year from the date of complaint made on 14th January 2023. Except for the dishonoured cheques, given allegedly as security for the balance due, the sale is entirely a civil transaction which had taken place in the normal course, the broker’s lawyers have written to the CID Director.

Making written representations to the Director CID, President’s Counsel M.M. Zuhair with Rushdhie Habeeb, Duleeka Imbuldeniya and Rizwan Uvais had said that no proper investigation whatsoever had been carried out against the Ratnapura gem buyer, though the FCCID had reported to Court that the buyer had issued three cheques for the total value of Rs 97.5 Million to the Colombo seller of the gems.

Counsel for the broker Ifthikar has alleged that the investigators had subjected not only the broker to discriminatory treatment as against the Ratnapura buyer but also compelled the broker’s wife and also his father earlier on to attend Court, alleging without any evidence that they were trying to leave the country with a part of the gems, violating their fundamental rights for the equal protection of the law.

Broker Ifthikar’s lawyers have represented to the Director that Ifthikar had arranged the Ratnapura buyer to meet the complainant seller at the Colombo office of the seller and the buyer had made a part payment in cash and balance by three cheques as security. This is entirely a civil transaction with no criminal intent that can be alleged against anyone.

Representations have also been made that Ifthikar has had many sales transactions with the complainant of very high value with the Colombo dealer, the virtual complainant without a single default over a period of six years. This is confirmed by the complainant’s own statement to the investigators, which the Unit had reported to Court.

Counsel have also made representations that there was not a single complaint against Ifthikar when he went to the Maldives in December 2022, after some 7 or 8 persons abducted him in Colombo, unlawfully confined him in an unoccupied premises and attempted to extort money from him. He was rescued by the Gothatuwa Police and released by them after recording his complaint. The investigators suppressed this serious offence from Court though Ifthikar had told them his abduction and fears when they recorded his statement.



Latest News

Landslide RED warnings issued to the districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matale and Nuwara Eliya extended up to 1600 hrs today [07]

Published

on

By

The Landslide Early Warning Center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has issued  landslide early warnings to the districts of Badulla, Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matale, Matara, Monaragala, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura effective from 16:00 hrs on 06.12.2025 to 16:00 hrs on 07.12.2025.

Accordingly,
LEVEL III RED  warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Pathadumbara, Kundasale, Pathahewaheta, Panvila, Medadumbara, Doluwa, Thumpane, Udunuwara, Deltota, Ganga Ihala Korale, Pasbage Korale, Yatinuwara, Hatharaliyadda, Ududumbara, Minipe, Udapalatha, Gangawata Korale, Akurana, Poojapitiya and Harispattuwa in the Kandy district, Thumpane, Udunuwara, Deltota, Ganga Ihala Korale, Pasbage Korale, Yatinuwara, Hatharaliyadda, Ududumbara, Minipe, Udapalatha, Gangawata Korale, Akurana, Poojapitiya and Harispattuwa in the Kegalle district, Alawwa, Rideegama, Polgahawela, Mallawapitiya and Mawathagama inthe Kurunegala district, Ukuwela, Naula, Yatawatta, Laggala Pallegama, Pallepola, Matale, Rattota, Ambanganga Korale and Wilgamuwa in the Matale district, and Hanguranketha, Mathurata, Nildandahinna and Walapane in the Nuwara Eliya district

LEVEL II AMBER warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Uva Paranagama, Badulla, Kandeketiya, Bandarawela, Soranathota, Hali_Ela, Meegahakivula, Ella, Welimada, Haputhale, Lunugala, Haldummulla and Passara in the Badulla district, Narammala in the Kurunegala district, Kothmale West, Norwood, Ambagamuwa Korale, Thalawakele, Kothmale East and Nuwara Eliya in the Nuwara Eliya district and Godakawela, Kahawaththa and Kolonna  in the Ratnapura district.

LEVEL I YELLOW warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of  Seethawaka and Padukka in the Colonbo district, Elpitiya and Yakkalamulla in the Galle district, Mirigama, Divulapitiya and Attanagalla  in the Gampaha district, Ingiriya, Bulathsinhala and Horana in the Kalutara district, Pasgoda and Athuraliya in the Matara district, Bibile and Medagama in the Monaragala district, and Kuruwita, Balangoda, Eheliyagoda, Pelmadulla, Kaltota, Kalawana, Openayake, Ayagama, Nivithigala, Imbulpe, Elapatha, Ratnapura and Kiriella in the Ratnapura district.

Continue Reading

Latest News

618 dead, 209 missing as at 2000hrs on Saturday [06]

Published

on

By

The Situation Report issued by the Disaster Management Center [DMC] at 2000hrs on Saturday [06] confirms that 607 persons have died due to the recent flooding and landslides while another 209 persons were missing.

The death toll in the Kandy district which one of the most affected districts has risen to 232, and 1800 houses have  been fully damaged.The number of missing persons reported is 81

100,124 persons belonging to 29,874 families were being housed at  990 safety centers established by the government.

Continue Reading

News

Opposition blames govt. inaction for severity of disaster impact

Published

on

The government’s failure to act on expert warnings, including advance forecasts on Cyclone Ditwah, had led to the worsening of disaster impact, Udaya Gammanpila, leader of the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya, said at a press conference in Colombo yesterday.

Gammanpila accused the NPP government of ignoring 14 key preventive measures, despite alerts from the Meteorology Department, foreign experts, and the media.

Gammanpila said the government had failed to lower the water levels in reservoirs, dredge estuaries, and deploy the armed forces for canal maintenance. Local government bodies were reportedly sidelined, and that led to a delay in cleaning of drains. He said the government had also failed to evacuate people in a timely manner from seven districts identified by the National Building Research Organisation as landslide-prone. It had delayed declaring emergencies or curfews and the deployment of tri-forces to evacuate people in such areas.

Gammanpila said an experienced public official should have been appointed as Secretary to the President to mobilise the state machinery swiftly during the disaster. He said the government had not convened the National Disaster Council.

“These failures worsened the disaster, causing immense hardship, disruption, and loss of life and property to the people,” Gammanpila said.

The government has denied the Opposition’s claims.

Continue Reading

Trending