Suspects in Beedi leaves racket acquitted

By Nimanthi Ranasinghe  

Three suspects who were in remand custody over the importation of a consignment of Beedi leaves in to the country by producing faked documents and defrauding Rs. 40 million as customs duty, were acquitted by the Colombo additional Magistrate Pradeepa Lochani Abeywickrama Weerasinghe yesterday on condition of their agreement to be present at the Customs investigation and cooperating with it.  

The courts which took into consideration a motion submitted by the Sri Lanka Customs to the effect that the investigations under file number CIB/INV/281/2018 was completed and in accordance with Number 8 clause (1) of the customs ordinance, and on the condition that they would present themselves at the Customs investigation and assist. The third, fifth and sixth suspects were acquitted by the courts.  

The suspects who were released are Nissanka Arachchige Anushka Nishal Nissanka, Thuwan Ahmed Muhajareen Salim Mahaour and Noordeen Pasal Ahmed.