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| Wednesday, 24 March 2004 |
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Inspector General of Police, Indra de Silva has ordered DIG - CID Lionel Gunathilake and Director - CID, Sisira Mendis to proceed with the investigations into the matter of criminal prosecution against K. N. Choksy PC MP and R. Paskaralingam in connection with a fraud perpetrated on the government and a cover-up official sources told the Daily News yesterday. The IGP had directed the DIG - CID and Director - CID to proceed with the investigations with immediate effect upon obtaining the relevant documents from the Attorney General, as well as from the Archives Department, and to report the progress directly to him. The sources said these investigations concern the alleged attempts that had been made by the present Finance Minister K. N. Choksy and Prime Minister's Advisor, R. Paskaralingam to cover-up fraud perpetrated on the government in connection with the construction of the Colombo Hilton and the endeavour on their part to syphon out a massive amount of foreign exchange from the government and the country utilising State guarantees, which had been given by President J. R. Jayewardene. Attorney-General K. C. Kamalasabayson PC as per his letter dated December 23, 2003 had called for the relevant particulars from the IGP on this matter of criminal prosecution. The official sources said the former PA government had got a write-off of US $ 207 mn at present Rs. 20,300 mn on fraudulent claims that had been made on these government guarantees.Previously, a Special Presidential Commission, after having recorded the evidence of 24 witnesses and having obtained an investigative report from a panel of three Chartered Architects, had issued charge sheets against K. N. Choksy and R. Paskaralingam setting out several charges and stating that the acts of commission and/or omission on their part were fraudulent and were detrimental to the interests of the government, had required them to show cause, as to why they should not be found guilty of misuse or abuse of power and/or corruption and/or the commission of fraudulent acts. The sources said the Commission subsequently had discovered that the UDA, at the time when R. Paskaralingam had been Chairman, had secretly approved a substituted plan for the Hotel just before its completion, where the elevations of the floor sheets had been at variance with the elevations on the cross-sectional sheets of the very same plan, which could not have been approved by the UDA. The original plans had been alleged to have been destroyed in a fire as per a fabricated report of the Fort Police, which was found to be a forgery by the Commission. The Commission had not completed its prosecution since one of its Commissioners had fallen seriously ill. The Commission had found that K. N. Choksy, notwithstanding being a President's Counsel, had stated untrue, erroneous and false facts, which necessarily had the tendency to mislead and deceive the public in general and the Members of the Commission. The Commission had adverted to the Supreme Court Rules for the conduct and etiquette of Attorneys-at-Law and cited Lord MacMillan on Ethics of Advocates - "In the discharge of his office, the Advocate has a duty to his Client, duty to the State, and duty to himself". |
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