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Garlic scam: Sniffing out the suspects

09 Oct 2021

  • CID tries to discipline itself
By Yoshitha Perera The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) last week arrested another suspect in connection with the recent alleged garlic scam and further investigations into the matter were being carried out by the CID, Police Media Spokesman Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Nihal Thalduwa told The Sunday Morning. SSP Thalduwa said the suspect was arrested when he visited the CID to provide a statement on the matter. He said that the suspect was a 55-year-old businessman from the Bambalapitiya area. “The suspect was taken into custody on suspicion of purchasing two container loads of garlic weighing up to 54,000 kg, which were illegally removed from Sathosa. He was produced before the Welisara Magistrate’s Court on 7 October and ordered to be remanded till 21 October,” the Police Media Spokesman said. Earlier, the Welisara Magistrate’s Court ordered to remand another businessman and a Deputy General Manager attached to the Lanka Sathosa Financial Division over the charges of concealing information and the illegal release of goods. These two suspects were arrested by the Peliyagoda Police Special Crime Branch. SSP Thalduwa further stated that the CID was currently conducting a disciplinary inquiry into the officers who summoned newspaper editors and journalists to the CID to record statements in relation to the alleged garlic fraud at Sathosa. Meanwhile, Minister of Trade Bandula Gunawardana acknowledged in Parliament last week that a garlic scam had taken place at Lanka Sathosa, and requested Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to order the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the CID to carry out an impartial investigation into the matter. The Trade Minister had earlier said that he would resign from his post if found guilty in connection to the garlic scam.


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