The Colombo Crime Division (CCD) arrested a person known as Shantha, who is the main suspect related to the incident of extorting a ransom of Rs.1.5 million by intimidating the former Public Utilities Commission Chairman Janaka Rathnayake.
According to Police, the main suspect has worked as a singer of a famous band. Police also said that when the suspect was arrested, he had 12 grams and 240 milligrams of the drug Ice in his possession.
When Police interrogated the band leader, he said that this person was not a regular singer of his band and sometimes he came and begged for a chance to sing songs. The band leader also said that he had not paid him for singing.
Police said that the suspect was arrested yesterday (11) near the post office at Wellampitiya junction. The suspect is a 42-year-old resident of the Sultanagoda, Matara. The suspect was produced in the Colombo Magistrate’s Court yesterday (12). Before this, five suspects were arrested on suspicion of this extortion incident. One of these suspects is directly involved in this incident while the other four persons aided and abetted in the incident. The suspects are residents of Rambukkana and Kurunegala.
The ex-chairman of the Public Utilities Commission and businessman Janaka Rathnayake was called by someone posing as Bloemandhal Sankha. He mentioned that he had received a contract of Rs.eight million to assassinate Rathnayake and demanded Rs. 1.5 million to avoid the contract killing.
Rathnayake was frightened by that phone call and agreed to pay Rs.1.5 million at a place near a bank in Kirulapone. Two persons who came in a car took the money on October 16.
Ratnayake made a complaint to the Kirulapone Police on the same day. The investigation regarding that complaint was assigned to the Colombo Crime Division by the order of the Inspector General.
The Colombo Crime Division found the car used by this gang to carry the money. The investigation also revealed that they had taken the car on rent.
The arrest was made by a team of officers including Sub-Inspector Asanka under the supervision of Colombo Crime Division Director ASP Neville Silva under the direction of Chief Inspector Anselm De Silva.
Gayan Kumara Weerasinghe, Rakshana Sryiantha and B.K.Kathriarachchi