Krrish Case: Namal’s counsel accuses CIABOC of political witch-hunt

By T. Farook Thajudeen

Colombo, March 12 (Daily Mirror) - The Fort Magistrate ordered the Bribery Commission to file a report before court on their investigations on March 26 over the Krrish Real Estate Funds misappropriation  by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa's son Namal Rajapaksa.

Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura made this order to the Commission to Investigate Into Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) in the  case in which Namal Rajapaksa was allegedly charged for  receiving funds from Indian real estate company Krrish Group, purportedly for the development  of Rugby in Sri Lanka.

At the onset of the Magistrate Court inquiry counsel Sampath Mendis PC appearing with A.A.L. Muditha Lokumudalige on behalf of Namal Rajapaksa, submitted that the CIABOC has initiated several investigations against his client Namal Rajapaksa  by violating the usual procedure of judicial practise due to political witchhunt.

Counsel said his client had been served an indictment in the Colombo High Court, for receiving Rs. 70 million from Krrish Group of India.

He  contended that  the CIABOC is further carrying on investigations on the same issue without any basis.

The counsel also asserted that the CIABOC had reported to court that they had sought the assistance of the Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Germany governments over their investigations.

The counsel said it is deceitful to the court as there is no such document purported to have been sent to those countries by the concerned  authorities.

Counsel Mendis  said his inquiries from the Justice Ministry and the Foreign Ministry had revealed this.

He pleaded in court that the court sanctions the CIABOC to carry on further investigations and also to order them to  conduct investigations into the purported letters alleged to have been sent to those countries.

Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura ordered the CIABOC to file a report in court stating their standpoint on the issue on March 26.

The Attorney General has filed indictments before the Colombo High Court and several other pending  cases in other  courts against Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Parliamentarian  Namal Rajapaksa, accusing him of criminal misappropriation of millions of rupees in connection with the controversial Krrish real estate project in Sri Lanka.