Former Railways GM granted bail over unlawful reinstatement of suspended driver

By Bhagya Silva

Former General Manager of the Department of Railways S. M. Abeywickrama, who was arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption in connection with the alleged unlawful employment of a suspended train driver, was released on bail yesterday by Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama.
The Magistrate granted bail to the suspect on two sureties of Rs. 1 million each, and the court imposed a travel ban on the suspect.
According to CIABOC, the investigation revealed that the suspect, while serving as General Manager, had unlawfully allowed a train driver named I. L. K Dissanayake, who had been interdicted to continue working in the department for nearly four years by using a false name.
CIABOC officers told court that Dissanayake’s suspension had been imposed after he was allegedly involved in two train accidents that occurred in Ganemulla and Mirigama, which had caused a loss of Rs. 8.9 million to the state.
The bribery officials further informed court that, following a complaint received by the Commission, an investigation was launched, during which it was uncovered that the interdicted driver had been re-employed under a fictitious name with the approval of the suspect.
The officers added that Dissanayake had also been charged in connection with the two train accidents in Ganemulla in 2008 and Mirigama in 2017, as well as 10 other cases related to separate train accidents.