TID ASP remanded

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda

A retired Assistant Superintendent of Police attached to the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) who is alleged to have defrauded Rs.3.5 million of several foreign job seekers by promising to provide employment opportunities in Canada was ordered to be remanded till June 3 by a Colombo Court yesterday.

The suspected ASP Ananda Ranasinghe is also the sixth suspect in the case where he and ten others were arrested for attempting and conspiring to defraud 100 kilograms of gold belonging to the state. The retired ASP along with ten other suspects who were out on bail were present before Colombo Fort Magistrate yesterday in connection with the gold case. At that time, police officers representing Fort police and Slave Island police stations complained to the Magistrate that the sixth suspect is a prime suspect they were searching to arrest for several cases. Inspector Weerasuriya of Fort police told Court that it had received eight complaints against the suspect over defrauding foreign job seekers. He further alleged that police were unable to locate the suspect as he was using several residential addresses. Meanwhile, Inspector Nalaka Gunasekara the Crimes OIC of Slave Island police also alleged that they had also received seven complaints against the suspect over foreign job rackets.

According to the police, the suspect had allegedly defrauded Rs.3.5 million of foreign job seekers and further beliefs the total amount could be further increased.  Meanwhile, expressing views regarding the allegations leveled against him, the suspect told at open Court that he was an ex-ASP attached to the TID and denied the prosecutors’ claims that he was absconding Court.

Taking into consideration the facts, Magistrate Thilina Gamage ordered that the suspect be held in remand custody for 14 days.