By Indunil Kahatapitiya
The main suspect wanted in connection with the death of a woman whose body was found inside a vehicle in the Teldeniya Hospital premises has been arrested in Jaffna along with his wife and young child, police said.
The arrests were made during a joint operation conducted by officers of the Jaffna Divisional Crime Investigation Bureau and the Walana Central Anti-Corruption Task Force following intelligence information that the suspects were travelling on a bus from Wellawatte to Chavakachcheriya on June 23.
Police officers intercepted and arrested the suspects in the early hours of June 24. Investigators said the 43-year-old suspect, a resident of Pallekele, was wearing a face mask at the time of his arrest in an apparent attempt to avoid detection, while his 35-year-old wife had allegedly disguised herself as a Muslim woman.
During initial questioning, the suspect reportedly told investigators that he had intended to travel from Vavuniya to Kurunegala to look after his two other children before surrendering to the police.
The arrests stem from investigations into the death of a 33-year-old woman from Weligama, whose body was discovered inside a car parked near Teldeniya Hospital on June 17. Police said the investigation into the death has now been handed over to the Nuwara Eliya Police for further inquiries.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Police revealed that the suspect is allegedly involved in a number of large-scale financial fraud cases currently pending before several courts across the country.
The Suspect Involved in Several Crimes
According to investigators, the suspect is accused of defrauding victims of substantial sums of money through schemes involving false promises of marriage, vehicle imports, and foreign employment opportunities.
Among the cases currently pending against him are:
• A case before the Gampaha Magistrate’s Court involving alleged fraud amounting to Rs. 11.87 million and the illegal use of a motor vehicle.
• A case before the Aluthkade Magistrate’s Court No. 05 involving an alleged financial fraud of Rs. 1.72 million.
• Another case before the same court involving an alleged fraud of Rs. 1.37 million.
• A case before the Tissamaharama Magistrate’s Court relating to an alleged Rs. 2.2 million in fraud was committed on the pretext of importing vehicles into the country.
Police further stated that four additional cases filed by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) are currently pending before the Aluthkade, Horana and Kaduwela Magistrate’s Courts.
One of the cases before the Aluthkade Magistrate’s Court concerns an alleged fraud of Rs. 4.2 million committed under the guise of arranging foreign employment opportunities.
The two suspects arrested in connection with the Teldeniya woman’s death are expected to be handed over to the Nuwara Eliya Police for further investigations.
The Jaffna Divisional Crime Investigation Bureau and the Walana Central Anti-Corruption Task Force are continuing inquiries into the incident.
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