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Ratwatte CD probe stuck in record room
By Tania Fernando
The probe on ex-minister Anuruddha Ratwatte's multi-million certificates of deposits is at a standstill while a parliamentary official digs the record room for 1992 declarations.

In headline-hitting raids, CID detectives had got a court order to open bank vaults and claimed they found CDs to the value of more than Rs. 42 million in the name of the Anuruddha Ratwatte family.

The CID then took the case to the Commission probing bribery and corruption. The Commission sent letters to the Acting Parliamentary Secretary General and the Presidential Secretariat last month asking for details of ex-minister Ratwatte's declaration of assets.

But a commission official told The Sunday Times no report had been received yet from the Acting Secretary General of Parliament. He said they had got a copy of the former minister's asset declaration from the Presidential Secretariat, but without the details from Parliament along with his salary particulars the commission was unable to proceed with the investigations.

He said the copy of the assets declaration from the Presidential Secretariat did not disclose the Certificates of Deposits and was apparently given by Mr. Ratwatte when he took office as a minister in 1994.

Parliament's Acting Secretary General Priyanee Wijesekera said she had got permission from the Speaker to submit a copy of Mr. Ratwatte's assets declaration. But, since the Bribery Commission had wanted copies of declaration from 1992, the copies had to be taken from the record room. She said this would take time, but assured she would do it soon. Ms. Wijesekera said she had informed the Bribery Commission on the reasons for the delay.

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