CID launches probe on abduction of Swiss Embassy employee

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has launched a probe on the alleged abduction of a Swiss Embassy employee in Colombo, a senior police officer told Times Online.

The investigation was launched after Switzerland called on the Sri Lankan authorities to conduct an ''immediate'' and ''complete'' probe into the incident.

"...the authorities are hopeful of the fullest cooperation of the Swiss Embassy," Ruwanthi Delpitiya, spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, told Times Online.

Reports claim that the abduction was linked to CID Chief Inspector Nishantha Silva's departure to Switzerland. During the last government, he was involved in investigating high profile crimes.

According to Swiss media reports, the female employee had been threatened to disclose "embassy-related information''.

Chief Inspector Silva, together with his family, is believed to have flown to Zurich in Switzerland on flight WK - 0065 which left Sri Lanka at 12:50 pm on Sunday.

Days after the unannounced departure, more than 700 CID officers were prevented from leaving the country without obtaining approval from the CID Director.