The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) today (23) informed the court that 969 individuals have been questioned in connection with the Negombo Prison riot, while the aliases of 40 suspects have been identified.

According to state owned newspaper Dinamina, the court formally confirmed that the incident constitutes a crime.

Investigators also submitted 28 post‑mortem reports, with findings revealing that 17 of the victims died from gunshot injuries. 

Ten prison officers and 21 inmates were killed in the clashes that erupted inside Negombo Prison on July 5 and 6. (Newswire)

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The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has informed Colombo Magistrate Pasan Amarasena that investigations are underway through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs into the transfer of USD 626,755 belonging to the Postal Department into accounts of another party.

The CID told the court yesterday (22) that the funds, intended for the United States Postal Service, had on two occasions been credited into nine different accounts via the Postal Department’s email system.

It was revealed that the payments were made using an email account outside the official address issued by the Universal Postal Union for global postal transactions.

The CID further reported that the relevant email data, server system, and case items including laptop computers have been referred to the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Response Team (SLCERT). These materials are scheduled to be presented to court in due course. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has told Parliament that an investigation into fraudulent import transactions has uncovered the illegal transfer of approximately US$715 million (around Rs. 214.7 billion) overseas through 105 companies between January 2023 and March 2026.

Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police Asanka Karawita, who heads the CID, revealed the details before the Committee on Public Finance (COPF), stating that the funds had been remitted via around 24,300 telegraphic transfers (TTs) without the corresponding import of goods into Sri Lanka.

He said the investigation, launched following complaints from Sri Lanka Customs, found that 105 companies, involving 55 individuals and 227 bank accounts, were linked to the transactions.

According to the CID, the money was transferred using forged invoices and fabricated customs documents submitted to banks. The investigation has also identified the involvement of 13 state and private banks.

Karawita told the committee that one suspect, allegedly connected to 43 companies that transferred around US$43 million overseas, has already been arrested and remanded.

The CID further revealed that investigations indicate the network was linked to an international money laundering operation involving drug traffickers based in Dubai.

He said two key suspects were brought back to Sri Lanka from Dubai with the assistance of INTERPOL and have been remanded in custody, while investigations continue.

The CID’s Financial Crimes Investigation Division and Proceeds of Crime Investigation Division are continuing investigations into the alleged money laundering network. (Newswire)

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The Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) has recommended that matters relating to land misuse, financial irregularities, and administrative deficiencies at the National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) be referred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) for formal investigation.

The issue was taken up when COPE met recently under the chairmanship of MP Nishantha Samaraweera to examine Auditor General’s Reports for 2022 and 2023 and review the NHDA’s current performance.

Discussions centered on the leasing of valuable NHDA‑owned lands at Maligawatta, Elvitigala Mawatha, and Rangirigama, Dambulla to external parties at nominal values without Cabinet approval, the use of such lands for purposes contrary to agreements, and the failure to safeguard assets.

COPE observed that many transactions were carried out in violation of NHDA’s objectives and legal provisions. The Committee directed that comprehensive reports on the irregularities be sent to the CID and CIABOC for legal action.

Officials were also instructed to expedite internal audits, identify responsible officers, and initiate disciplinary measures. 

COPE further recommended strengthening asset management and internal control systems to prevent future irregularities. (Newswire)

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The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested a female Land Registrar attached to a Colombo‑area Land Registrar’s Office on Tuesday (07), in connection with a probe into forged documents.

According to the CID’s Financial Crimes Investigation Unit, the suspect had allegedly provided second copies of deeds and register‑bound documents to outside parties, thereby aiding organized crime, conspiring, and preparing forged documents against lawful owners to unlawfully transfer lands.

The suspect is a 51‑year‑old resident of Pannipitiya.

The CID’s Financial Crimes Investigation Unit is conducting further investigations into the case. (Newswire)

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The Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court today directed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to submit a progress report on August 5 regarding investigations into the alleged fraudulent withdrawal of USD 2.5 million in government funds belonging to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka during a Treasury loan repayment.

The case was taken up before Magistrate Pasan Amarasena. 

CID officials informed court that 16 terabytes of computer data linked to the probe had been referred to the University of Colombo for further examination, but reports have not yet been received.

The CID further noted that government analyst reports connected to the incident are also pending.

After reviewing the submissions, Magistrate Amarasena ordered the CID to update the court on the status of the investigations by August 5. (Newswire)

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The Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court has ruled that Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Director Shani Abeysekara cannot be removed from the ongoing investigation into retired Major General Suresh Sallay, the former head of the State Intelligence Service.

The case, currently being heard before Magistrate Pasan Amarasena, has seen several applications including calls to exclude Abeysekara from the probe. 

Issuing a 23‑page order, the Magistrate rejected those requests, along with Sallay’s plea to be provided with writing materials and his request to make a confidential statement.

The court further directed that Sallay be produced for proceedings via video technology, underscoring the judiciary’s stance on maintaining continuity in the investigation. (Newswire)

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The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has launched a special investigation into an alleged luxury vehicle smuggling racket involving a son of a former President, according to a report published by the state-owned newspaper Dinamina.

The report did not identify the former President or the individual alleged to be involved.

According to Dinamina, investigators are probing the alleged illegal importation of luxury vehicles worth millions of rupees by evading Customs duties during previous administrations.

The report claimed that several vehicles had allegedly been brought into the country concealed inside shipping containers and that some were being used by children of politically connected individuals.

It further alleged that some of the vehicles had been registered with the assistance of corrupt officials at the Department of Motor Traffic.

Dinamina also reported that investigators had found instances where Customs duties were later paid for vehicles instead of the vehicles being confiscated.

The newspaper further claimed that one such vehicle had previously been seized by the CID and handed over to Sri Lanka Customs, where it remains in custody.

According to the report, the son of the former President is expected to be summoned by the CID for questioning next week as part of the ongoing investigation.

No official statement has yet been issued by the Police or the CID regarding the reported investigation. (Newswire)

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Former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, widely known as Pillayan, was ordered into remand custody until July 13 in connection with investigations into five murders committed in several areas of the Eastern Province. 

The order was issued when the case was taken up before the Batticaloa Magistrate’s Court today (30).

The Criminal Investigation Department had earlier, on June 15, reported details of the 2008 killings to court. 

At that hearing, the Magistrate directed Welikada Prison authorities to produce Chandrakanthan, named as the third suspect in the case, at the next session.

Accordingly, he was presented before court this morning under tightened security arrangements. (Newswire)

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General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), Venerable Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, filed a complaint with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) today against alleged defamatory statements made on social media, describing the harassment as “unbearable.”

Addressing reporters outside the CID today, Gnanasara Thera said he had arrived for the first time to lodge the complaint after being patient for long.

He noted that defamatory attacks had been continuously made without verification, with videos posted late at night and hundreds of calls flooding his phone the following morning. 

“What kind of hate speech is this? Can people mentally torture others like this?” he questioned.

The BBS General Secretary said he had submitted CDs containing the defamatory material as evidence and urged authorities to investigate.

He recounted one incident where an individual repeatedly called him, and after he did not answer, posted a video urging others to call, resulting in nearly 500 calls the next day. 

“This has to stop. That is why I came to the CID to file a complaint,” he said. (Newswire)

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The Colombo Magistrate’s Court was yesterday (08) informed by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) that a group of politicians are obstructing and interfering with the ongoing investigations into the Easter Sunday terrorist attack in a planned and deliberate manner. 

According to state newspaper Dinamina, CID officers told court that former Director of the State Intelligence Service, Suresh Sallay, along with former ministers Udaya Gammanpila and Wimal Weerawansa, and Parliamentarian Dilith Jayaweera, were among those hindering the investigative process.

The CID further notified Magistrate Pasan Amarasena that Sallay, who is currently under a detention order, had been admitted to the Colombo National Hospital while engaged in a fast, and is receiving treatment under strict security. 

Investigators alleged that Sallay has been acting in ways that obstruct the inquiries, with political figures providing support to these disruptive activities.

CID officials told court there is reasonable suspicion that these actions are being carried out to prevent the disclosure of the political background behind the Easter Sunday attack, which has not yet been revealed. 

They also warned that organized efforts are underway to create hostility and dissatisfaction among the public against investigating officers, mobilize protests against the Police Department and CID, and undermine the credibility of investigators.

The CID said these organized activities are being directed by political figures including Gammanpila, Weerawansa and Jayaweera, and stressed that such interference poses a serious threat to uncovering the full truth behind the Easter Sunday tragedy. (Newswire)

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The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has informed the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court that former Director of the State Intelligence Service, Suresh Sallay, who was being held under a detention order, was admitted to the Colombo National Hospital for emergency treatment on Sunday night (07).

CID officials notified the court through a motion, stating that Sallay’s health had deteriorated while in custody. 

He had been arrested in connection with the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks and was under CID detention at the time.

According to reports, Sallay had begun a fast inside CID custody, refusing food and alleging that he was subjected to inhuman treatment. 

His health condition subsequently worsened, prompting authorities to transfer him to hospital care. (Newswire)

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The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) today arrested 21 individuals deported from Dubai upon arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake.

According to the Police, the suspects were taken into custody immediately after landing within the airport premises.

The Police state that the group had been living overseas for an extended period while continuing to operate organized crime syndicates and drug trafficking networks in Sri Lanka. (Newswire)

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The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested the Controller of Information Technology and Internal Control at the Department of Immigration and Emigration, over an alleged financial fraud linked to the installation of official software.

According to Media reports, the CID’s Financial Crimes Investigation Division said the arrest followed inquiries into a payment of Rs. 9,831,250 made for a “User Management Module” software that was never installed. 

Investigators allege government funds were fraudulently obtained without delivering the system.

The Police confirmed the suspect was taken into custody under charges filed in terms of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Further investigations are underway into the misuse and misappropriation of government funds. 

The suspect is scheduled to be produced before the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court, while the CID continues its probe. (Newswire)

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Orders have been issued under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act to prevent the sale, transfer, or disposal of several properties allegedly purchased with money earned through drug trafficking, following investigations by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

According to the Police, the CID’s Illegal Assets Investigation Division said the case involves suspects from Madupitiya, Mahawila, who are accused of using proceeds from narcotics trafficking to acquire land and houses. 

Preliminary inquiries revealed that the assets include:

• A house under construction and adjoining land in Panadura Mahawila
• A 10.75‑perch plot at Panadura Cross Junction
• Another house under construction in Madupitiya, Panadura

The Police state that evidence indicates the suspects committed offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act by attempting to launder illicit earnings through property purchases.

Two female suspects, aged 28 and 53, were arrested on March 13 and April 2, respectively, and produced before the Panadura Magistrate’s Court, where they were remanded. 

Two additional female suspects, relatives already in custody for another drug case, were also produced and remanded until May 13.

The CID added that further investigations are ongoing, with the properties now legally frozen to prevent any transfer or disposal while proceedings continue. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Tuesday informed the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court that investigations are underway into the alleged diversion of USD 2.5 million in Treasury funds, in a case linked to a suspected email scam involving a foreign debt repayment.

Officials told the court that the payment, made as part of Sri Lanka’s external debt servicing process, had been redirected to a third party through a fraudulent email resembling that of Australia’s Export Finance Agency.

The CID, reporting to Magistrate Isuru Neththikumara, said a 27-page report containing sensitive details had been submitted and requested that it be placed under secure custody due to the nature of the investigation.

According to investigators, the incident stems from a complaint lodged on March 24, 2026. The funds were intended for an official payment to an Australian government-linked institution through the External Resources Department and the State Debt Management Office.

However, a fraudulent email, closely mimicking the legitimate domain, had been used to send payment instructions. The original domain “exportfinance.gov.au” had allegedly been altered to “exportfinance.av.com,” leading to the transfer being made without further verification.

CID officials said they are examining whether there had been any unauthorised access to the email systems of the External Resources Department or related institutions. Initial checks with the Sri Lankan firm managing the email servers have not yet confirmed a breach, though further forensic analysis is ongoing.

Investigators noted that the system processes around 15,000 emails daily, complicating efforts to trace potential intrusions. They also told the court that, despite a prior warning regarding the suspicious domain change, the payment had been processed after the alert was issued.

The court was further informed that standard verification procedures for such transactions appeared to rely primarily on email communication, with no additional confirmation mechanisms in place before funds were released.

The CID said investigations are also exploring whether systems of the Australian institution may have been compromised. Assistance is being sought from international agencies, including Interpol and the Australian Federal Police.

No suspects have been named so far. However, the CID requested travel bans on five individuals believed to be directly linked to the email exchanges, along with permission to examine their bank accounts.

The court granted the requests and also approved the appointment of a technical committee comprising experts from the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SLCERT), the Government Analyst’s Department, and the University of Colombo’s Faculty of Computing.

Magistrate Isuru Neththikumara instructed investigators to determine whether a criminal offence had occurred, identify those responsible, and take urgent steps to prevent similar incidents in future.

The case is scheduled to be taken up again on June 3 for further progress. (Newswire)

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Minister of Public Administration Chandana Abeyratne says a complaint has been lodged with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) regarding the cyber‑attack on the Ministry of Public Administration website. 

According to media reports, he said the complaint was made through the intervention of the Ministry Secretary.

It was reported that the cyber attackers attempted to auction data on the website in order to obtain money.

However, Minister Abeyratne clarified that no highly sensitive data was compromised, and only some public information had fallen into the hands of another party.

The minister confirmed that the CID is now investigating the matter.

He further revealed that the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Response Team (SLCERT) has also commenced a separate inquiry into the incident. (Newswire)

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The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is currently recording a statement from Prof. Maithree Wickremesinghe, the wife of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

According to reports, CID officials had visited the former President’s residence in Colombo, where the statement is being recorded.  

Details regarding the nature of the inquiry or its connection to ongoing investigations are yet unknown. (Newswire)

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The Sri Lanka Police has launched strict disciplinary action against the Officer‑in‑Charge of the Division involved in hosting an alleged birthday celebration for Ishara Sewwandi, the prime suspect in the murder of underworld figure Ganemulla Sanjeewa. 

Addressing the media, Police Spokesman ASP F. U. Wootler said the DIG in charge of the Western Province personally visited the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and launched an investigation with a team headed by senior Police officers. 

He further said that steps have been taken to initiate strict disciplinary action against the CID OIC involved in the incident. 

Stating that Police officers are government officers and cannot maintain any links with criminals, ASP Wootler urged Police officers to uphold their values and responsibilities while carrying out their duties.” (Newswire)

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A 32‑year‑old resident of Medawachchiya has been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for allegedly assisting in a scheme to fraudulently withdraw money from the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF).

The suspect, taken into custody yesterday (18), is accused of aiding and abetting the crime by conspiring with others who had submitted forged documents claiming entitlement to permanent government pension appointments.

Earlier, six men and two women were arrested in connection with the same case and remanded after being produced before the court. The latest arrest involves the husband of one of the previously detained female suspects.

The CID said the suspect will be produced before the Medawachchiya Magistrate’s Court. Investigations into the fraudulent withdrawals are continuing. (Newswire)

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