Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga Bodaragama has directed the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to swiftly conclude investigations into 26 underworld members who fled overseas using false names and photographs, and to report findings to the court.
The order was issued yesterday (26 Feb) after submissions by officials from the CID’s Organized Crime and Marine Crime Investigation Division regarding the suspects, identified as powerful gang members who had left the country.
The Magistrate questioned why, despite court instructions to investigate all 26 suspects, progress reports had been submitted for only two.
Police informed the court that fingerprint records obtained from the Department of Immigration and Emigration had been forwarded to the Fingerprint Bureau, but only two reports had been received so far.
The Magistrate further inquired whether all 26 fingerprint records had been sent, to which the police responded that they had, and that steps were being taken to expedite the process.
The directive relates to suspects believed to have obtained foreign travel documents through the Immigration Department by using other individuals’ names, villages, and photographs.
After reviewing submissions, the Chief Magistrate ordered the CID to complete investigations without delay and present findings to the court. The progress of the probe is to be submitted on May 4. (Newswire)
