TID probes Alles’ money transfers

By Asif Fuard

Fund transfers by controversial businessman and publisher Tiran Alles to people with alleged LTTE connection are being probed, detectives said yesterday.

.Mr. Alles, publisher of the Maubima and Sunday Standard newspapers and former chairman of the Airport and Aviation Ltd. was dramatically arrested last Wednesday while he was warded at a private hospital, reportedly for a stress-related cardiac ailment.

Officers of the Terrorist Investigations Department arrested Mr. Alles and later obtained an order from Colombo’s Chief Magistrate Kusala Sarojini Weerawardene to remand him till June 13.

Mr. Alles, a close associate of sacked ministers Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi, was yesterday moved to the National Hospital and placed under police guard. His application for bail was turned down but the magistrate said she would reconsider it on June 13.

TID detectives said they were investigating direct transfers of monies from Mr. Alles’ accounts to accounts of some Europe-based persons with alleged LTTE links. They said they were also seeking ways of getting such funds frozen.