An official of the External Resources Department attached to the Ministry of Finance, who was among four officials suspended over a $2.5 million cyber fraud, has been found dead in Kuliyapitiya, police said.

Police suspect the death may be a suicide.

The official had been suspended pending a disciplinary inquiry into a cyber fraud involving the diversion of funds allocated for external debt repayment to an Australian creditor.

The suspended group includes officials from both the External Resources Department and the Public Debt Management Office.

Earlier, the Criminal Investigation Department had requested the official to appear and provide a statement regarding the incident, but he had failed to do so.

Kuliyapitiya Police are conducting further investigations.