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CID questions CIFL depositor on Geneva issue
The Criminal Investigations Department has recorded a statement from an official of the CIFL Deposit Holders’ Association about a letter in which he reportedly said he would take the woes of depositors to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. The association’s Secretary P.K. Mahindapala was summoned by the CID on Tuesday. He was shown two letters that he is alleged to have written and sent. The first was addressed to the Central Bank, the second to Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga.
“That second letter had a line in it which said that, if we did not receive a reply, we would cooperate with Opposition members to take this matter to Geneva,” Mr. Mahindapala said. “I did not write or post those letters. We have not even remotely considered the option of taking our case to Geneva.” CIFL—Central Investment and Finance Ltd—is a failed finance company which is now at the centre of litigation. It has around 5,000 depositors who are now taking turns to camp at its head office in the hope that President Mahinda Rajapaksa would grant them an audience.
Mr. Mahindapala said the CID officers had showed him the two letters and recorded a statement from him. They did not question him on the contents of the correspondence. He was at CID headquarters from 1.30 pm to around 5 pm. Police Spokesman Ajith Rohana said the CID had summoned Mr Mahindapala to check the authenticity of a letter that was sent in his name making certain demands of the Central Bank. “The CID recorded a statement. He denied it. That’s all,” SSP Rohana said.