A fake beggar who had a bank account with a balance of one million rupees and owned a two-storeyed house on the outskirts of Colombo was arrested and produced in courts only to be set free after paying a meagre fine of Rs.100.
The suspect who claimed to have suffered serious burns on his hands was arrested on suspicion in the City by a Woman Police Constable.
The man told police that his daily take was anything between Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 and his chief targets were festival crowds in all parts of the country.
Investigations later revealed the suspect had carried out his operations over a period of 30 years and was planning to retire in two years after setting up a grocery for himself. | 
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