The Government last night has assured the independence of the investigations carried out by all the law enforcement agencies in the country including the Financial Crimes Investigation Division and denied any sort of undue political intervention to the enforcement of law.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe
Issuing a statement the Prime Minister’s office said; “the Financial Crimes Investigation Division of the Police Department or the Anti-Corruption Committee Secretariat are not controlled by the Cabinet Sub-committee on Anti-Corruption by any means, although the progress of the investigations carried out not only by the FCID but also by the other law enforcement agencies is reviewed once a week so as to ensure effective law enforcement.”
We publish below the statement in full;
Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) is only a functional division of the Police Department, which was established in response to the emerging trend of serious financial frauds. This division was established in terms of the provisions of the section 55 of the Police Ordinance, with the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers and it operates under the exclusive supervision and direction of the Inspector General of Police.
There are 64 functional divisions in the Police Department such as Terrorist Investigation Division, Criminal Records Division, Criminal Investigation Division, Colombo Crimes Division, Narcotics Bureau, Child & Women Bureau, Fraud Investigation Bureau, Environment Protection Division etc. In fact, most of those divisions were not there at the very inception of the Police Department. Those divisions were established from time to time to cater to the contemporary trends, in the same manner the FCID was established. No any special statutory power or mandate has been given to the FCID other than the powers vested with the Police Department. The purpose of establishing this division is to employ the services of experienced group of officers to handle investigations on financial crimes of grave nature and expedite those investigations.
Anti-Corruption Committee (ACC) is a Cabinet Sub-Committee headed by the Hon. Prime Minister, which was setup as per a decision taken at the Cabinet meeting held on 21.01.2015. This Committee was setup with a view to recommending measures to be adopted to prevent the occurrence of large scale corruption and frauds in future. On the recommendation of the Anti-Corruption Committee and the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers a dedicated Secretariat named Anti-Corruption Committee Secretariat was also established to coordinate the investigations of the allegations on serious frauds, financial crimes and corruption.
It should be noted that the Financial Crimes Investigation Division of the Police Department or the Anti-Corruption Committee Secretariat are not controlled by the Cabinet Sub-committee on Anti-Corruption by any means, although the progress of the investigations carried out not only by the FCID but also by the other law enforcement agencies is reviewed once a week so as to ensure effective law enforcement.
The Government assures the independence of the investigations carried out by all the law enforcement agencies in the country including the Financial Crimes Investigation Division and denies any sort of undue political intervention to the enforcement of law.
Vibhushana / May 12, 2015
Some of the cases are clearly civil not criminal. The Police dept exuberance needs to be controlled. If not they will lose their independence. That is because they are making a case against legislators who can potentially take it all back.
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Leelawathie / May 13, 2015
Yes Mr Clean, we wish you all the best.
Those days, that Rajapakshe media men worked on blant lies seem tohave taken its way towards free and fair leading to Justice and diginified way of life – this can only be made by a person who is clean by abusive nature of life.
Alone this 100 plus days prove us that how fair you and the current cabinet have been sofar. My respect towards MY3 is 1000000000 times more than had been before 8th January. This is why we the law respecting people of the island nation are pleased about the current situation. Only way out woudl be to bring all the high profile criminals in previous govt before the courts.
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Heretic / May 12, 2015
“Environment Protection Division”
Please investigate what has been going on with the alleged water contamination in Chunnakam(NP) since 2008. Why have whistle blowers been transferred? Are there conflicts of interest and maybe even corruption?
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Ben Hurling / May 12, 2015
Have them taken a trip to Wilpattu yet?
Cheers!
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Fazl Muhammed / May 12, 2015
The head of the FCID, DIG Ravi Waidyalankara should be removed since he seriously has a questionable past and he still does. Might wanna watch the following video and read the article,
http://www.english.infosrilankanews.com/2015/03/is-dig-ravi-waidyalankara-behind.html
It is the UNP led Anti-Corruption Committee (ACC), which is a Cabinet Sub-Committee headed by the Hon. Prime Minister, which was setup as per a decision taken at the Cabinet meeting held on 21.01.2015 that decides on the cases to be investigated at FCID.
FCID does not entertain complaints from any one else, and rest assured, they will not investigate crimes committed under the UNP rule or people with close ties to UNP.
Besides, a suspect cannot be tried twice for the same offense…. So it is highly likely for the FCID DIG to make deals and use the ‘same laws’ to ensure a ‘mistrial’ or set the suspects free. What the DIG does now at present is to have a media circus to satisfy UNP’s political campaign. And unless the DIG Waidyalankara is replaced by a DIG with integrity, I have my serious doubts on the whole thing. My personal choices would be either DIG Ravi Senevirathne or DIG Ruwaiz Latiff.
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Ben Hurling / May 12, 2015
Fazl,
Excellent take on the problem our country faces. FCID itself is corrupt. I fully agree with you.
Cheers!
PS: Consider unshackling yourself from chains of political Islam. It is taking you down to a bottomless pit. End your admiration of corrupt, brutal & uneducated “Islamic” fanatics of the Middle-East. You have a great role to play as a fearless amateur, investigative journalist in Sri Lanka.
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K.A Sumanasekera / May 13, 2015
Fazi Mohammed,
Have you converted.
Or just a plug for DIG Latiff.
Anyway one wouldn’t bite the hand which feeds him/ her… Right ???
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Point of View / May 13, 2015
Are you talking about yourself ?
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Harry Hatton / May 12, 2015
Independent like the committee Wickramasinghe appointed to “investigate” the Arjun Mahendran affair ?
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K.A Sumanasekera / May 12, 2015
Hee Heee Heeee….
Is Mahendran still signing our new Bank Notes?..
Because I .bought a few hoping that they will become rare specimens.
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Point of View / May 12, 2015
Why not arrest Baya Gota ? He is looking for ways to avoid prison.
He has hired that shameless, greedy Romesh to appear for him. Romesh tried a stunt yesterday but failed to fast track the hearing. Romesh will do anything for money. Wonder how much he was paid from the robbed booty !
Now Baya Gota is avoiding FCID due to ‘mental stress’ We knew all along that he is a mental case so there is nothing new in his mental status !!!
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Jagath Fernando / May 12, 2015
Very interesting explanation to justify that no politics involved.
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punchinilame / May 12, 2015
MORE IMPORTANT – The Rajapakse-Speaker is playing pandu with you!!! [Edited out]
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Ben Hurling / May 12, 2015
“The progress of the investigations carried out not only by the FCID but also by the other law enforcement agencies is reviewed once a week so as to ensure effective law enforcement.”
Ha..ha! There you have it. All explained.
That is why:
1. Avant Guard guy roams free.
2. MIG Jet Gota roams free.
3. Namal Raja roams free
4. Central Bank inquiry is mired in controversy
5. Sri Lankan Airlines criminals are roaming free.
Coz’ they review the progress, once a week. King Kong is still running around untouched.
If we keep making the same choice between corrupt UNP & SLFP we will keep getting the same results, we’ve been getting since 1948.
Good luck & Good night!
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Dom / May 12, 2015
The complaint came quickly when the regime changed. So it’s not easy to handle these cases in this manner, the government has to do it carefully.
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Ansar / May 12, 2015
To add on to Punchinilame’s comments, I also read in a website that the Speaker is purposely delaying the signing of the 19th Amendment, citing that he has not got the documents from the AG’s Dept, whereas AG confirms sending the document to Speaker’s Office.
Is it a case of Blood is thicker than water.
Over to you the Hon. President and PM. We the people demand the signing of the document and making it statute, without any undue delay for political or brotherly reasons.
We cannot have a repetition of Anura Bandaranayake incident sometime back. Hope the readers recall that saga.
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punchinilame / May 12, 2015
I suppose nothing will move until Rev. Shobita gets down to the Street to demonstrate –
an extension of good governance? Even MA Sumanthiran has praise for the unsigned
Amendment.
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Tissa Perera / May 12, 2015
What a joke!! Well and good that
the crooks and those doing misdeeds
are being brought to book.
What about the Central Bank scandal
involving Governor Arjuna Mahendran?
Surely that deserves an investigation
by the FCID? Why did three nondescript
lawyers probe this case?
By the way, the cat is out of the bag.
Mr Mohamed Fazl says DIG Latheef should
be placed in charge of FCID. Is it because
Latheef asked Fazl to do interviews?
Who got caught copying at examinations?
Why was that not probed. Master bluffers
and tall talkers getaway sometimes but
not all the time.
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Bensen Berner / May 12, 2015
It is most opportune that this explanation be given in the climate of the crucial investigations being undertaken. On the side of politics the team comprising Maithri, Ranil and Mangala is an excellent combination to bring the culprits who took the trusting people for granted to face justice. Bensen
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Jagath Fernando / May 12, 2015
CBSL investigation was a total disaster.
He appointed three UNP catchers to give report stating that Arjun was responsible.
The scope never included the following
1 who was responsible
2 how much is the financial loss
3 improvements required
4 was there a conflict of interest
One sided inquiry by Ranil to safeguard his appointee.
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Jagath Fernando / May 12, 2015
Correction
CBSL investigation was a total disaster.
He appointed three UNP catchers to give a report stating that Arjun was not responsible.
The scope never included the following
1 who was responsible
2 how much is the financial loss
3 improvements required
4 was there a conflict of interest
One sided inquiry by Ranil to safeguard his appointee.
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Plato. / May 12, 2015
Very badly written.For a statement made by the Prime Ministers office it should have been couched in language to reflect his standing in Govt:
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K.A Sumanasekera / May 13, 2015
50 % of the the current UNP Govt are crooks. ( Horu ).
Thisis not Sumane’s allegations.
This is 3 Star Field Marshall Fonseka , as reported in the main stream Elite Media English Rag in Colombo yesterday.
So statistically half the members of Ranils Cabinet Sub Committee which runs the UNP FCID must be crooks .Right.
So much for the Yahapalanay which the Elite , Anglicans , Vellalas and even the Muslims now brag about.
How cool.
Thanks Field Marshall…
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