More arrests of lawyers, politicians and senior police officers

Colombo, June 29 (Daily Mirror) - More arrests of lawyers, politicians and senior police officers are likely in the near future with the further scrutinizing evidence over the alleged large-scale bribery network involving detained Nadun Chinthaka Wickramaratne, alias 'Harak Kata'.

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) are jointly conducting investigations into these allegations which follows the arrest and remanding of three individuals, including Attorney-at-Law Rakitha Rajapaksa and former Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Horana organizer Charith Abeysinghe and a former Director of the Civil Aviation Authority last week.

The probe is reportedly examining claims that substantial sums of money were exchanged to influence official decisions and secure special privileges linked to 'Harak Kata', with investigators now reviewing financial transactions, witness statements, and alleged links between state officials and organized criminal elements as the inquiry expands.

It is also reported that evidence currently under scrutiny by investigators indicates the involvement of multiple senior police officers, alongside prominent lawyers, in allegedly accepting staggering sums of money. The illicit funds, running into hundreds of millions of rupees, were allegedly distributed to secure protection, influence legal processes, and prevent the suspect from meeting a violent end while in state custody. It is further alleged that even minor privileges, such as allowing the detained suspect to make prohibited video calls to his child, were facilitated.

Authorities are also investigating allegations that the suspect’s concerns about his safety while in detention were exploited for financial gain.

Investigators are probing claims that a politician obtained a large sum of money after claiming to have influence over senior state officials, as well as allegations that certain police officers attempted to intimidate witnesses and others with knowledge of the alleged transactions.