CID team to fly to India to probe criminals linked to crimes in Sri Lanka

COLOMBO (News 1st) - Sri Lanka's Criminal Investigations Department has commenced a study on the nine criminals who were arrested from the special camp for Sri Lankan Tamil refugees at Tamil Nadu’s Tiruchirappalli.

The CID said that following the evaluation a decision will be taken on the suspects that need to be repatriated to Sri Lanka for prosecution.

The Criminal Investigations Department said that reports on these criminals have been called for from all the police stations, and a CID team is expected to leave for India soon for investigations. 

The Indian National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested nine Sri Lankans from the special camp for Sri Lankan Tamil refugees at Tamil Nadu’s Tiruchirappalli over their alleged involvement in drugs and arms smuggling to revive the LTTE.

The agency said that two of the arrested men were in regular touch with a Pakistan-based drug runner, Haji Salim, who often travelled between Dubai, Pakistan and Iran. These men and Salim were working to revive the LTTE in Sri Lanka and India, the NIA said.

The arrested men have been identified as:

C. Gunashekharan alias Kimbula Ele Guna
Pukkudi Kanna
Mohamed Aswin
Sunil Gamini Fonseka alias Kota Gamini
Stanley Kennedy Fernando alias Bumma
Athurugiriye Ladiya
Welle Suranga
Mohamed Asmin
Thileepan

“The case pertains to activities of a Sri Lankan drug mafia controlled by C Gunashekharan and Pushparajah in association with Haji Salim, drug and arms supplier based in Pakistan, which has been operating in India and Sri Lanka in illegal drugs and arms for the revival of LTTE in India and Sri Lanka. This case was registered suo-moto by the NIA on July 8 this year,” the spokesperson said

The Narcotics Control Bureau had earlier registered a case after law enforcement agencies arrested six Sri Lankan nationals and seized 300 kg of heroin, five AK-47 rifles, and 1,000 live rounds of 9mm ammunition off the coast of Vizhinjam, near Thiruvananthapuram, in March 2021.

Later, the Home Ministry had directed the NIA to book a case after it was found that a scheduled offence under the NIA Act, 2008, was committed by the accused.

Last year, Suresh Rajan, a Sri Lankan national, was arrested from Angamaly near Kochi, in connection with the case from Kerala for his alleged links with Haji Salim. 
The NIA probe had also unearthed financial transactions worth crores of rupees in Rajan’s name.

“Rajan played a prominent role in the drug and arms trafficking to Sri Lanka through the backyard of India. He was aided by several personnel who were part of the LTTE,” sources had said.

These nine Sri Lankans are wanted by Sri Lanka Police for a series of crimes.

Nalin Chathuranga also known as Athurugiriye Ladiya is one of the main suspects in the murder of underworld gangster Samayan.

It was revealed that he was closely associating Angoda Lokka, a one-time underworld don.

C. Gunashekharan alias Kimbula Ele Guna is wanted by police for the murder of Sunil Mendis, and drug trafficking.

Pushparaj also known as Pukkudi Kanna is wanted for 10 separate homicides that took place in Colombo North.

Welle Suranga is also wanted for around 10 murders in the country.

Sunil Gamini Fonseka alias Kota Gamini is wanted by Sri Lanka Police for several murders, and is also charged with plotting to assasinate Former Senior DIG Priyantha Jayakody who was in charge of the Organized Crimes Prevention Division.

Stanley Kennedy Fernando alias Bumma is a professional shooter and is wanted for multiple crimes by Sri Lanka Police.

- published with input from agencies