CID quizzes Bathiudeen over land in Mannar

• the former minister said those allegations were baseless

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) yesterday recorded a statement from former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen for over four hours over an ongoing investigation.

Police Spokesman SP Jaliya Senaratne said a statement was recorded from the former minister over a case involving a land in Mannar,

He said the CID had also recorded a statement from him on April 14 over the same incident and yesterday asked to appear again at the CID to record a further statement.

Speaking to the media outside the CID, the former minister said those allegations were baseless and dismissed it as a political witch hunt.

Commenting on the arrest of his brother, Riyaj Bathiudeen over the Easter Sunday attacks, he said his brother was innocent and had no connection with the bombers.

Earlier, former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen’s brother Rifkan Bathiudeen was arrested and remanded over allegedly selling a land in Mannar to a private company under a false deed.