Thushan Gunawardena, the former Executive Director of the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA), has said that he was surprised that as the person who was first to complain about Garlic scam of CWE, had been made a suspect in the same issue , and that he believed that the senior DIG of the Western Province was behind the absurd allegation made by the police.
Gunawardena told the Daily Mirror today that he had learned that he had been made a suspect in the case and had even been banned from traveling abroad after entering the airport to leave the country recently and that the police were trying to implicate him in this to appease politicians who were accused of being involved. Giving has been declared.
Thushan Gunawardena has stated this in response to questions posed by Daily Mirror journalist Nirmala Kannangara.
“This happened on January 21 i was to eave the country for my personal tour. After I was checked-in to the Airport and my baggage was dropped off at the baggage counter, I proceeded towards the Immigration where I was stopped. I was told by the Immigration officers on duty, that there is a travel ban against me. I was confused for a while thinking that they were referring to another person. They gave me the case details (Case No: B 2909/21 Welisara MC). Since this is a case filed at the Welisara MC, I assumed that it was the garlic case. Before the aircraft departed, I was able to get my luggage back.. ““
“Upon investigation, I came to know that I too had been made a suspect in the case of the fraudulent release of 56,000 kilograms of garlic from the Sathosa, which I had initially complained to the police about. I was surprised. As the then Executive Director of the Consumer Affairs Authority, I was the first to lodge a complaint with the police following an anonymous phone call regarding the theft. ”
“I believe I will expose these frauds to the media. It was the intolerant people who made me a suspect.”
“The CID has been given a full statement based on the findings of this fraud and the persons involved. Despite such a situation, they are acting in this manner. ”
“The police have been set up to act on behalf of the people of the country. Protect those who enforced law and order against them. But today the police give priority to protect politicians. The seniors of the police could not have been unaware of this incident. I believe this was done with the knowledge of the Senior DIG, Western Province. He added.
Mr. Gunawardena further stated that he still has faith in the judiciary of this country and hopes to file a fundamental rights petition in this regard.
