Dambadiva pilgrimage racketeer at large

16 July 2014 05:15 pm

The Police Special Investigations Unit had begun an investigation to arrest a racketeer involved in cheating devotees who were expecting to go on pilgrimage to Dambadiwa after promising them to arrange concessionary prices for their tours through parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa.

The complainant a resident of Polonnaruwa in his complaint to the Police Special Investigations Unit had said his sister and three other relatives had been cheated of Rs.180, 000 by the suspect who posed as a secretary to parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa.

The complainant further told police that the suspect Sarathchandra Polonnovita had promised them to arrange a flight for the tour from Mattala to India on May 11 but failed to fulfill his promise as agreed. He further told police that the suspect agreed to arrange a concessionary price of Rs.50, 000 as the cost for the entire tour from each devotee.  Thereafter, the suspect had not answered their calls.

Meanwhile, police obtained Court orders pertaining to the details of the mobile phone and bank accounts which were alleged to have been used by the suspect. (Lakmal Sooriyagoda)