CID to probe Rajitha’s ‘white van’ remark

By Yoshitha Perera 

The CID yesterday reported facts to the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court to launch a fresh investigation into the controversial statement made by former Minister Rajitha Senaratne on ‘white van’ drivers at a press conference held prior to the presidential election. 

Addressing a press conference held on November 10, the former minister had said after it assumed office on November 17, the new government would probe rest of the murders and abductions committed during the Rajapaksa regime. In front of the media, he had presented two individuals whom he claimed were a ‘white van’ driver and victim of an attempted abduction in such a setting.   

However, reporting facts before Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne, the CID informed that it would launch investigations into suspects Anthony Douglas Fernando and Athula Sanjaya Madanayake who were reported to be a white van driver and victim. 

Furthermore, the CID said it would conduct investigations into accommodation facilities provided to both suspects and on concealing facts in connection to the said incident.