Police have opened an investigation into yet another scandal concerning Sakvithi Ranasinghe the English tutor turned “finance company” operator who swindled unsuspecting depositors of over Rs. 1,000 million and fled the country.
Ranasinghe is said to have hired vehicles on rent and re-rented them without paying the owners.
So far police have received complaints of around 30 such vehicles which were rented by him.
A number of these vehicles had been used by Ranaisnghe himself to run his own businesses
Police investigating the case said “whenever the owners called for payments, he had used delaying tactics, but in most instances he never paid”.
Police who have so far uncovered 27 bank accounts used by the main suspect (Ranasinghe), in his financial scam have yet to move Court to freeze these accounts.
Detectives have also learned that Ranasinghe used many offshore accounts to illegally transfer money out of the country.
A detective probing the scam told ‘The Sunday Times’ they would be taking steps to freeze Sakvithi’s funds held in offshore accounts.
To freeze the accounts the detectives will be seeking the assistance from Interpol despite the fact no formal request has been made as yet.
Darshani Maduwanthi who surrendered to Court to make a confidential statement is being held in remand custody.
The other suspects Bataduwa Arachchige Asitha Prabath of Malabe, Sirimal Randeniya of Embuldeniya, Gunaratne Gamage, Anushka Shamal Rupasinghe of Kekirawa, Jayasiri Arachchige Upeksha Sanketha Jayasuriya of Embuldeniya. Ganithaylage Pottal Gedera Chandrika Kavinda Kumari of Walapane, Kongala Boralalage Kesara Sama Kumari of Kotte and Don Nalaka Thushara Karunathilaka are in detention.
Detectives are searching for Sakvithi Ranasinghe, his wife Jamburagoda Gamage Kumari Anuradhini both of No 175/4, Madiwela Road, Embuldeniya. Udahamulla, Priyangika Priyakanthi Fernando of Piliyandala, Chanaka Siriwardena, Damayanthi Sangeethika Adikari of Madinnagoda Rajagiriya, M.N. Hewagama of Pannipitiya and Chaturi Harischandra of Panadura.
Edwin Ariyadasa who was linked to the Sakvithi scam surrendered to Court last Thursday when the case was taken up before the Nugegoda Magistrate.
He was released on Rs. one million bail.
Mr. Ariyadasa's lawyer M.L.M. Ameen said his client was only a paid director of the English education section of the institute and had no connection with the scam.
Ariyadasa was ordered to make a statement to the police and inform Court in the event he planned to leave the country.
The case is to be taken up again on 20th October. |
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