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Interdicted principals' luxury living bared

THE Special Presidential Investigations Unit (SPIU) probing irregular Grade 1 admissions in Government schools have come across at least two instances where the interdicted school principals had acquired luxury homes, property, vehicles and businesses and were living way beyond their means.

Investigators who went into details of the assets of Ananda College Principal B. A. Abeyratne and Principal of Maliyadeva Balika College, Kurunegala K. A. Vajira Kumarihamy have determined that the value of these assets acquired by the duo by no means corresponded to their income as school principals.

Investigations reveal that the principal of Ananda College, B. A. Abeyratne interdicted last Wednesday based on a report submitted to the President by the SPIU, was the owner of a two storied house presently under construction at Isuru Uyana, Araliya Garden, in Moladanda, Kiribathkumbura Kandy.

It is alleged that he has already spent about Rs. 7.5 million on this house on a 15 perch block which he had bought for Rs. 80,000 a perch.

He is also the recipient of a Government flat at Edmonton Road and had already made the initial payment of approximately Rs. 500,000. Abeyratne assumed duties as Principal of Ananda College on January 01, 2001.

Prior to that, he had been a Sub Inspector of Police which post he resigned in 1987 to join the Education Department as a Grade 1 Principal.

In the case of the Principal of Maliyadeva Balika College, Kurunegala already under interdiction, it has been revealed that after assuming duties on January 1, 2001 she had purchased 30 acres of land in 2002 at Bauddaloka Mawatha, Kurunegala at Rs. 100,000 a perch. A two storied house at this premises is under construction and she has already spent Rs. 9 million.

In January, she opened a Tyre Sale Centre at Alawwa Junction with modern equipment. She is also the owner of two vehicles, bearing Nos 325/1189 and WP/GE 0709. RMV records reveal that Vehicle No. 325/1189 is owned by K. K. Devinda Kapugama, the Principal's son and the other is in the name of Ishani Auto Enterprises, Badurugoda Veyangoda.

She is living in a house at Narammala junction, Alawwa which belonged to her husband.