Former Puttalam District United National Party (UNP) MP Shantha Abeysekara and his son have been arrested over an illegally assembled motor vehicle.
The father-son duo were arrested by the Police Illegal Assets Investigation Division today when they arrived to provide a statement regarding the vehicle.
Earlier this month, parts of a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado vehicle, allegedly used by the former MP and suspected to have been illegally assembled, were seized by the Illegal Assets Investigation Unit.
At the time, it was reported that the former MP was missing, preventing investigators from obtaining a statement regarding the vehicle.
Authorities received information that the former MP was using an illegally assembled Prado, prompting an investigation by the Cyber Crimes Division of the Illegal Assets Investigation Unit.
Following days of inquiry, a team of investigators arrived in Puttalam on 06 February to take possession of the vehicle parts. However, the vehicle was initially untraceable. Further inspections led to the discovery that it had been dismantled and hidden in two separate locations.
The parts were found at two locations linked to the former MP—a coconut estate in Puttalam owned by him and another house near his residence. Investigators recovered the chassis and body at the latter location, while the engine and several other components were found at the coconut estate.
During the investigation, it was revealed that the vehicle had been registered using the chassis and engine numbers of another Prado currently in use by the Department of Agriculture. (Newswire)
