'Bus Lalith' Handed Over to CCIB; Public Celebration Erupts After Extradition from Dubai

COLOMBO (News 1st) - Alleged organized crime figure Lalith Kannangara, also known as “Bus Lalith,” who was arrested in Dubai and brought back to Sri Lanka, has been handed over to the Colombo Central Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) for further investigations.

Police said the suspect's arrest was the result of a special operation conducted under the direct supervision of the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

Bus Lalith was arrested in Dubai in November last year after investigators obtained crucial intelligence through the interrogation of one of his close associates who had been arrested in Sri Lanka.

Based on the information uncovered during the investigation, the suspect was tracked down and arrested at an apartment complex in Dubai.

Although authorities subsequently initiated efforts to bring him back to Sri Lanka, Bus Lalith challenged the move by filing legal action before the Dubai courts.

However, a Dubai court recently ruled in favour of deporting the suspect, paving the way for his return to Sri Lanka.

Following the court order, a team comprising officers from the Colombo Central Crime Investigation Bureau, the State Intelligence Service (SIS), and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) travelled to Dubai and completed the process of bringing the suspect back to the country.

Speaking at a media briefing, Police Spokesman Assistant Superintendent of Police F.U. Wootler described the arrest as the outcome of a carefully planned operation spanning several months.

Police alleged that Bus Lalith is linked to a number of murders, extortion activities and robberies committed in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, residents in several areas marked the suspect's arrest and return to Sri Lanka by lighting firecrackers, expressing their support for the operation carried out by law enforcement authorities.

Police also revealed that four other alleged organized crime figures, including Ranjith Kumara Dissanayake, alias “Konda Ranji,” remain in custody in Dubai.

ASP Wootler said efforts are underway to bring those suspects back to Sri Lanka.