Actress probed for taking elderly lawyer down the garden path

A Colombo Court today ordered the Kollupitiya police to conduct a comprehensive investigation regarding a complaint received against popular teledrama actress Maneesha Shyamali alleging that she had withdrawn Rs.120, 000 deceitfully from a bank account belonging to an elderly lawyer  who had since passed away.

The teledrama actress was arrested by the Kollupitiya police on a complaint received by the daughter of the deceased, that the suspect defrauded her father of Rs.120,000. The suspect is currently out on bail.

When the case came up before Colombo Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage, police informed that they were yet to conclude investigations against the suspect.

Meanwhile, Counsel Dushantha Kularathne with Lakmini Kottegoda appearing for the aggrieved party complained that the actress had taken the elderly lawyer under her custody and obtained money and property belonging to him in a deceitful manner. Counsel Kularathne further alleged that the actress had done these activities along with her husband and moved Court that an order be issued on the police to conduct a comprehensive investigation.  

Taking the submissions into consideration, the Magistrate ordered the police to conduct a comprehensive investigation against the suspect and submit a report on the next hearing date.  

In her complaint to the Kollupitiya police, the deceased’s daughter alleged that the suspect had built up an illicit relationship with her father and on two occasions had deceitfully withdrawn Rs.120,000 from his bank account. The complainant who was residing in London told police that she was able to gather more details pertaining to the alleged fraud committed against her father’s property, when she visited Sri Lanka to attend his funeral which took place October 18, 2012.

The complainant further alleged that the actress had also misappropriated a commercial property belonging to her father.

Filing a report against the suspect, the Kollupitiya police alleged that she had committed a punishable offence that came under section 403 and 386 of the Penal Code. Further magisterial inquiry into the matter was postponed for November 7. (Lakmal Sooriyagoda)