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How Balasuriya’s police promoted Rajapaksa at presidential poll
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The Police Department put out a 36-page glossy, colourful brochure, just weeks ahead of the Presidential election on January 8. It extolled the virtues of the UPFA Government. A highlight was the listing of all good things offered in the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s budget proposals last year.Former IGP and the then Law and Order Ministry Secretary Mahinda Balasuriya, who hurriedly left Sri Lanka after the polls, said in a foreword that there was a special place in the Mahinda Chinthanaya (Thoughts of Mahinda) for maintenance of law and order as well as peace. He said it was clear that then President Rajapaksa’s aim was to ensure these principles were carried forward. That was why he set up a separate Ministry of Law and Order.
Mr. Balasuriya added that from 2005 to 2014, the service (the then) Government did for the Police Department could not be summarised. Yet, he noted, that he should praise those efforts so those in the Police Department would become aware of the good things done. Police Chief N.K. Illangakoon said in a foreword that the Police Department was a shareholder in the success of defeating terrorism. In the past ten years, Mr Illangakoon noted that there had been a marked change in Police administration and the fight against crime. This had brought about a people-friendly Police service.
For all the success of the Police Department, he said, the causes were the principles enunciated in the Mahinda Chinthana. Together with the assistance provided by the Government, these thoughts, the Police Chief said, should be remembered with great honour. He said that the (Mr. Rajapaksa’s) 2015 budget which had brought benefits to the Police Department had won special benefits. He said it would help the progress of the department. “For this we dedicate our gratitude with honour to the (former) President,” the Police Chief said.
It is clear that Police Chief Illangakoon who is reported to have stood steadfast to prevent an illegal continuation of the previous regime in office had to nevertheless pay tribute to the UPFA. That is not all. There was also a veiled message in the brochure to support Mr. Rajapaksa at the presidential poll.
Police sources said the brochure had been compiled by an officer in the Criminal Records Division (CRD) on the instructions of Mr. Balasuriya. Thereafter, IGP Illangakoon had obtained tender board approval to print it at the expense of the Police Department.
Wele Sudha scandal: Shocking revelations fit for a Mafia movie
A scandal of huge proportions is set to break as Criminal Investigation Department (CID) detectives continue to question ‘Wele Sudha’, the Sri Lankan drug lord arrested in Pakistan. He is the mastermind of a major drug smuggling ring between the two countries. The man, whom one detective described as Pablo Escobar, the one who ran the Columbian drug mafia until he was tracked down, is now spilling the beans. It is already known that Sudha’s main link with those connected with the previous UPFA Government was a young politician, a rich playboy, who had powerful connections and an equally powerful underworld mafia.
The young politician was so lavish that he gifted Rolex wrist watches to some of the top UPFA politicians. On one occasion, he gave a similar watch and gold bangles to his girlfriend, also a politician then, and wanted them returned when he fell out with her. A leading UPFA personality had to intervene to have them returned and to reach a settlement without recourse to Police.
It has now been revealed that the young politician’s best pal then was a former Police Chief with a spurious track record. If he chose to learn the art of diplomacy after shedding his uniform, the man serving abroad was called in last year to run the law and order machinery. He did the job forgetting the law and causing chaotic disorder.
When the January 8 poll was over, the man flew out of Sri Lanka with his family to a West Asian capital. How he literally vanished is intriguing. He went to the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) with his armed security escort. He told his men that he would return after saying farewells to his wife and daughter.
So the escorts waited and their anxiety grew as hours passed by. Suspecting that all was not well, they made inquiries. They were told that he was two hours into a flight to a West Asian capital. He had given his own men the slip.
Sudha has alleged that at the request of the young politico, known for his gun toting antics against his rivals, he built a luxury house in Kadawatha for the one time top cop. Needless to say it cost millions of rupees. Now, the detectives are probing whether another member of the ex-Police chief’s family, who flew with a diplomatic passport to Dubai regularly was smuggling gems on behalf of a businessman.
The young politico, it was then known, was in the habit of visiting the one time top cop’s residence almost every evening. It is alleged that the former top cop even ordered the arrest of members of rival gangs in the drug trade. More proof of their close association came when the duo travelled together to Russia on a holiday.
According to External Affairs Ministry sources, Wele Sudha who was arrested in Pakistan had been interrogated by the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), that country’s premier intelligence organisation. They had elicited details of the drug smuggling ring that operated between Pakistan and Sri Lanka including the names of the key functionaries.
An Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and an Inspector flew to Pakistan to escort Sudha to Colombo. They returned on a Mihin Air flight on November 17 from Lahore. Detectives say that they would question the one time top cop currently overseas over the revelations they have recorded.
Wimal blames Basil for Rajapaksa defeat
Former Minister and National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa has openly blamed former Minister Basil Rajapaksa for the defeat of Mahinda Rajapaksa at the January 8 Presidential election. He made the remarks during an interview with BBC’s Sinhala service, Sandeshaya. Mr. Weerawansa said Basil was the main cause.
Only days earlier, as results kept coming in the early hours of January 9, Mr. Weerawansa was at a dinner table in the Operations Room at ‘Temple Trees’.
Basil Rajapaksa was seated on his left followed by former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabral.
On Basil Rajapaksa’s right were Dudley Rajapaksa (the former President’s brother living in the United States) and Susil Premajayantha, former Minister and Secretary of the UPFA.
Alles hangs on to Sajith
Despite months of political brokering, Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Parliamentarian Tiran Alles failed in his mission — to have UNP national leader Ranil Wickremesinghe contest the Presidential elections.
For this purpose, he had sought the support of then UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake. When the mission failed, Mr. Attanayake also quit the UNP and joined the Government to be one of the most short-lived Cabinet ministers in history.
However, the duo’s efforts to make Hambantota District Parliamentarian Sajith Premadasa the Deputy Leader of the UNP paid dividends.
Mr. Alles was present when Mr. Premadasa ceremonially moved into his office as Minister of Housing and Samurdhi last Thursday morning.
Chinese bulls eye at BMICH
Security, as expected, was tight when President Maithripala Sirisena visited the BMICH to attend a conference of Attorneys General last Monday.
Those at the main entrance to the building encountered a Chinese national working at the premises. A metal detector test proved negative but a body search that followed revealed he had an egg in his possession.
There was concern at the beginning. Was he taking the egg to be hurled at someone? Security personnel questioned him in Sinhala and the answers came in Chinese. The worker knew his responses were not taking him anywhere.
So he resorted to sign language. He made gestures to show he was taking the egg for a meal. He even offered to break the top and swallow it raw. The sympathetic security men told him to move on.
The man who courted supreme confusion
Everything was ready to receive the Pope. The Foreign Ministry had made meticulous arrangements at the airport and all was set for the Pope’s arrival with those to be in the receiving line officially approved at the highest levels. Lo and behold when protocol officials found to their consternation, if not confusion, that a person who had not been included to be in the receiving line had turned up at the airport and insisted that he should be there.
Officials not knowing exactly what to do quickly consulted the Minister- in- Attendance Ravi Karunanayake who not wanting to create a situation on such an important occasion allowed the person to be included. So everything passed peacefully. But not without some reddened and angry faces hidden from public view.
Justice cheapened but not chastened.
New Minister moves fast for big business
At least one minister who was sworn in just days earlier has become very active. He was sending out emissaries to businessmen in Asian capitals asking known businessmen and other influential personalities to come to Colombo to meet him. One of them from a SAARC country was surprised since he did not know the minister concerned. The emissary explained that he was keen to discuss ‘business and investment opportunities.’
“How can I come spending my money to travel as well as accommodation in Colombo,” asked the Wallah known for brokering many deals in the United States with the previous UPFA Government.
Former spy boss had two official bungalows, links with BBS
The spy boss who was snooping on former UPFA Government’s political rivals including what they were saying on the phone was forced to give up his post last week. He is to be re-assigned. It was only after he quit did those in his organisation discover that the man with powerful connections at that time had two official bungalows.
So when he quit his job, the spy boss left the official bungalow assigned to his service organisation and went back to the other Government bungalow.
This is at a time when the NDF Government is on the lookout for official bungalows for use by new ministers, ministers of state and deputy ministers.
One of the matters under probe is to ascertain who paid for an almsgiving the spy boss hosted for ten members of the Bodu Bala Sena at the conference room of the Ministry of Defence. Insiders say that food had been ordered from the Ministry canteen and the agency vehicles have been used to bring BBS members to the MoD.
Narcotics job for Wakista
Chandra Wakista has been appointed as DIG (Narcotics), a newly created position.
He was earlier Director of the State Intelligence Service (SIS).