Attorney General (AG) Dappula de Livera has advised the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on the prudence to place MP Rishad Bathiudeen under surveillance 24 hours before issuing the directive for his arrest.
Co-ordinating Officer to the AG State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne said the arrest of Bathiudeen is not something that had happened suddenly.
She stated that 24 hours before the AG’s advice pertaining to the arrest was provided in writing to the CID officers and the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), the AG had summoned the CID officers and verbally instructed them on pre-preparation before making the arrest.
Accordingly, the AG had advised the high-raking CID officers to carry out suitable surveillance on Bathiudeen and stay alert 24 hours before the advice was handed over in writing, State Counsel Jayaratne said.
She stated that if the CID officers had followed the AG’s verbal advice regarding surveillance, the suspect would not have been able to flee.
Meanwhile, the AG yesterday (19) had provided the Acting IGP with further advice in writing with regard to the criminal investigation against Bathiudeen and had also met with the investigative officers of the CID.
It had been revealed during that discussion that the CID is also carrying out investigations regarding over 10 more incidents related to Bathiudeen.
The AG had presented the Acting IGP with detailed information pertaining to those investigations and issued instructions to conduct further investigations under the offence of money laundering, and instructed to appoint a special team of experienced and knowledgeable officers to carry out the investigations efficiently and thoroughly.
Furthermore, the AG had instructed to carry out criminal investigations against all individuals who had abetted MP Bathiudeen to evade arrest and remain in hiding, and to report to the court. The AG had then instructed to especially investigate into the individuals who held press conferences and made statements that the former Minister was in hiding, she said.
The AG has called for reports on progress of investigations within the next two weeks, it is learnt.
She stated that 24 hours before the AG’s advice pertaining to the arrest was provided in writing to the CID officers and the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), the AG had summoned the CID officers and verbally instructed them on pre-preparation before making the arrest.
Accordingly, the AG had advised the high-raking CID officers to carry out suitable surveillance on Bathiudeen and stay alert 24 hours before the advice was handed over in writing, State Counsel Jayaratne said.
She stated that if the CID officers had followed the AG’s verbal advice regarding surveillance, the suspect would not have been able to flee.
Meanwhile, the AG yesterday (19) had provided the Acting IGP with further advice in writing with regard to the criminal investigation against Bathiudeen and had also met with the investigative officers of the CID.
It had been revealed during that discussion that the CID is also carrying out investigations regarding over 10 more incidents related to Bathiudeen.
The AG had presented the Acting IGP with detailed information pertaining to those investigations and issued instructions to conduct further investigations under the offence of money laundering, and instructed to appoint a special team of experienced and knowledgeable officers to carry out the investigations efficiently and thoroughly.
Furthermore, the AG had instructed to carry out criminal investigations against all individuals who had abetted MP Bathiudeen to evade arrest and remain in hiding, and to report to the court. The AG had then instructed to especially investigate into the individuals who held press conferences and made statements that the former Minister was in hiding, she said.
The AG has called for reports on progress of investigations within the next two weeks, it is learnt.