Allegations of corruption and sabotage of investigations have dogged Senior DIG Ravi Waidyalankara who heads the Police Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) tasked with handling some of the most high profile investigations into financial misappropriation by top officials in the Mahinda Rajapaksa administration.
DIG Ravi Waidyalankara
As FCID Head for the past four years Waidyalankara has built dubious relationships with some of the country’s best known fraudsters and wheeler dealers, including Rienzie Edwards the Sri Lankan businessman indicted on money laundering charges in the US, Gamini Senarath – former Chief of Staff to President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Sajin Vaas Gunewardane who is implicated in several major corruption scandals and misappropriation during the Rajapaksa era.
But SDIG Waidyalankara has also built relationships at the highest levels of the former Rajapaksa family and is believed to be actively working to sabotage the work of his own unit in order to protect the members of the former first family, chief among these former Secretary to the ministry of defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
In November 2017 the Attorney General wrote to the FCID authorising the arrest of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s arrest in D.A. Rajapaksa Memorial and Museum case. The offences Rajapaksa was to be indicted under were non-bailable offences under the Public Property Act.
The D.A. Rajapaksa Museum case investigated by the FCID centered on the use of state funds to build a memorial for Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s parents. The investigation revealed that the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation had spent millions of rupees to build the museum in Medamulana, on land owned by the D.A Rajapaksa Foundation. The Corporation was a subject under the then Ministry of Defence and Urban Development, under Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Sri Lanka Navy personnel were used to construct the memorial. The case is a classic illustration of how the Rajapaksa regime used public monies to fund a private construction directly linked to the ruling family.
Waidyalankara however delayed making the arrest for several days, despite his instructions from the Attorney General, giving Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s legal team sufficient time to file a writ application in the Court of Appeal to get an order preventing his arrest by the FCID in the D.A. Rajapaksa case. The order was granted by a Court of Appeal bench who heard the case ex-parte without the AG present to object to arguments raised by Gotabaya’s legal team.
The D.A. Rajapaksa museum case marks the first time Gotabaya Rajapaksa will stand trial on charges of corruption. He stands accused of misappropriating over 30 million rupees in state funds, criminal breach of trust and other offences.
SDIG Waidyalankara is currently under investigation by the Bribery Commission, about his accumulation of assets and the Police Special Investigations Unit. In spite of the ongoing investigations the head of the FCID was granted a service extension of eight months in May 2018, when he reached the retirement age of 60. His extension was opposed by the IGP and the National Police Commission. (By Ramani Bulathgamuwa)
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Exposé: Sirisena-Wickremesinghe Intervene To Protect Corrupt FCID Chief Cop
De silva / February 24, 2019
One other to b blamed is media
They create news every week
And important issues are forgotten in sensationalusing new ones
When people are bombarded with conflicting news they get confused
This is how the public is duped
The time is ripe for all to shun the current political entities and think new
A generation that loves truly their nation and are willing to work using modern tools and uplift it so future generations can live happily
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whywhy / February 25, 2019
De silva ,
I thought I pick up one point from your comment and express my
doubts with frustration as the real ground situation is unimaginable !
You believe that a new generation would fix many of the problems we
have using the modern tools we have today . At least they would do it
better , you hope ! You are not alone De silva , that is the hope of many
but to our frustration , we don’t have such a generation ready for the
task and that is he bitter truth ! For many , the younger generation is
translated from father to son politics ! Like from Mahinda to Namal ,
Raasinghe P to Sajith P or Gamini to Navin . None of these guys have
anything new to offer to you and me in the name of the generation
gap as such and on the other hand if we go with our young members of
the social fabric , just ask them what they want to do for living and the
chorus would be Australia , America , Europe or Japan ! Try all you can
to explain to them that they are not welcome in those countries , they
won’t listen to you ! What we can do with loads of hard work is , raising
a whole new generation from scratch with a whole new education ,
and waiting at least fifty years for the result . Who is ready ? It is a slow
and painful exercise dear !
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Champa / February 24, 2019
Ok, I am reading this article again.
And, I can see that there is something wrong here.
Let’s talk WITHOUT BEING BIAS, I mean WITHOUT MIXING POLITICS AND RULE OF LAW.
In the first place, why should FCID arrest Gotabhaya for D.A. Rajapaksa case?
This is a civil case, not a criminal case.
Therefore, an arrest is ABSOLUTELY NOT NECESSARY.
The Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe, who is the mastermind of Central Bank Bond fraud was NOT arrested by FCID, in between inquiries or even at the conclusion of the PCoI investigations, a case which is the most shameful, abusive and execrable misappropriation of government funds in entire Sri Lanka’s history.
There shouldn’t two laws for two people, one law to who robbed country’s Central Bank collapsing the entire economy and another law for someone who built a family museum using public funds.
Out of the two, which offence is greater?
Why does the Prime Minister apply rule of law differently, one law to himself and another to his political opponent?
The Prime Minister should hand over himself to the FCID forthwith and prove the country that rule of law is equal to everybody.
If the FCID acts bias in cases involving PM’s political opponents, then people have a right to oppose it.
Similarly, if there is a move to arrest Admiral Wasantha Karannnagoda, former Navy Commander who played a silent pivotal role in defeating terrorists, by guarding the entire sea in 24/7 preventing terrorists from fleeing, and destroying their naval power, people have a right to oppose it (his arrest), if necessary even rioting.
It is highly likely the slave government arresting a high profile figure prior to Geneva Summit in March to show their masters that they take action as per treacherous Geneva Resolution. Therefore, let’s be ready to thwart such a move.
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jehan / February 24, 2019
u must be a dumb follower of got. civil case?
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Champa / February 25, 2019
jehan
Prove it.
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Thanga / February 24, 2019
To claim that ‘This is a civil case, not a criminal case.’ is highly ridiculous. Gotabaya used state resources to construct ‘D A Rajapaksa Memorial and Museum’ at Medamulana On the instructions of Gotabaya. Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (SLRDC) commenced construction. The SLRDC sent an invoice for Rs.81.3 million to Gotabaya for settlement. A sum of Rs.25 million was paid followed by a further sum of Rs.8.9 million. The balance of Rs.47.4 million is still owed to the SLRDC.
It was against rules and regulations to use state resources for private or personal use. Gotabaya just did that.
He is now going around the country canvassing support for his bid to become the next president..
The question is does he have no sense of shame that someone who robbed government funds to go about in public? If by any chance he is elected he will loot the entire Treasury!
Honestly speaking he should go hiding to avoid public opprobrium.
Please visit URL https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/da-rajapaksa-foundation-owes-slrdc-rs-47-million-for-rajapaksa-memorial/ for more information.
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Champa / February 25, 2019
Thanga
You haven’t given any logical reason not to regard it as a civil case.
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shankar / February 25, 2019
thanga,if what you say is true then dudley sirisena has to only pay off the 47 million.He has offered to do it from his ill gotten gains.The judge can let off gota with a warning .
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Muslim / February 25, 2019
Dudley Sirisena is another crook of the caliber of Gota Mahinda Basil Sillysena they will all
Escape the law and only the small fry will get caught. All the above have made a mint of money surpassing even the government treasury.
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Rashmi Perera / February 25, 2019
I did not know whether to laugh or cry when
I read today’s Ceylon Today newspaper.
There, the Great Gotabaya Rajapaksa has
declared that the MiG – 27 deal is the most transparent
military deal ever in Sri Lanka.
Does he take the people of this country to be dumb idiots?
If he is correct, then, all other deals are also transparent.
Of course, not many Sri Lankans will not know of his
claims. The Ceylon Today does not circulate beyond three
digits and the promoter is wheeler dealer Tiran Alles. Now,
he he hanging on to Gotabaya.
Unfortunately for Sri Lanka and her people, bribe taker
Ravi Waidyalankara has botched the case where there is
open and shut evidence. He is the worst traitor. This was like
giving a fox to take care of a chicken coop. He made money
and sold the people of the country. He will not enjoy it for too
long. God will catch up with him and the Great Gotabaya and
his bundle of 40 thieves including Tiran.
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MirakRajBanda / February 25, 2019
This is to white wash the many thousands of financial (sans criminal) offences Gotabya along with the other family members committed yeas and years. Comparing to MIG deal, Shangri La land deal, Sri Lanka Embassy premises purchased in US are very few of the multibillion fraud Gotabya committed. D.A. Rajapakse case is a peanut to other allegations and it’s obvious why those are not coming out.
By the way, when I was travelling down south (Sri Lanka) sometimes back I was offered ‘Basil Mango’ and curious I’m enquired more about the mango and I was told every mango sold, a Rs.10 goes to Basil Rajapakse. The story may be true or not but the level of corruption this family engaged is staggering not even the mangoes are spared.
Let God saves this beautiful island nation from the iron grip of this blood thirsty monsters.
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Prasad Cooray / February 25, 2019
True, Mirak Raj Banda. Whether big or small, Gotabaya,
now pretending to be an angel, has robbed the people
of this country. This is what Rashmi Perera is saying.
So why elect as President such a bare faced liar, crook
and a corrupt petrol pump attendant at one time.
Fault lay in Ranil Wickremasingha and his side kick
and sucker Sagala. Both held the Rajapaksas to get
out. Ravi Waidyalankara thought the best way is to make
some money before retiring.
What about former SP Mahil Dole? He worked as translator
at the FCID and sold statements to the accused for a high
price. The IGP should probe this crook as well. Did he not take
Rs 10 million from a Tamil businessman in Pettah?
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Thanga / February 27, 2019
The difference between criminal and civil offence? Here it is:
Criminal law deals with acts that violate the Criminal Code and other statutes. Civil law deals with disputes between private parties.
Criminal acts are those that go against the rules of the Criminal Code or against another statute. Normally, a criminal act is legally seen as an offence against the state, even though there may have been a specific individual who was the victim of the crime.
Common Criminal Code offences include:
Assault
Impaired driving
Break and enter
Robbery
Read more about going to criminal court, including how to prepare for the trial and the typical roles in the criminal justice system.
Civil Law
Civil law deals with disputes between private parties or or negligent acts that cause harm to others.
Common civil suits include disputes about:
The terms of a contract
Damage or injuries
Property
Reputation
All criminal cases have to be filed by the police, no individual can file a criminal case against another person.
The case against Gotabaya is misappropriation state funds. He ordered, as Secretary of Ministry for Defence, the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (SLRDC) to construct a Memorial and Museum for DA Rajapaksa his father. He defaulted payment when invoiced by the SLRDC. The construction of the Memorial and Museum is a family matter. It is against all rules and regulations to use state resources for a venture that is clearly non-government.
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