Kollupitiya blast probe continues
 

BY SARATH Malalasekera

THE Colombo Crime Division (CCD) probing the bomb blast near an Indian restaurant in Kollupitiya on Wednesday night, questioned the real owner of the jeep in which the Reserve Sub Inspector Manoj Jeevan Fernando and two others including a drug trafficker were travelling.

Colombo Senior DIG Sirisena Herath directing investigations conducted by CCD Director Senior SP Sarath Lugoda revealed that the jeep was not in the name of the Reserve Sub Inspector, though he claimed that he was the owner.

The Reserve Sub Inspector Manoj Fernando had told the CCD Director that even though he purchased the jeep from another person, he did not transfer the papers to his name. Following the bomb blast the Reserve Sub Inspector and two others including a drug trafficker were injured.

Manoj Fernando was later produced before the Acting Colombo Fort Magistrate Deemani Beddewela and remanded till May 4. The other two suspects are obtaining treatment from the Colombo National Hospital.

"We are also probing the Reserve Sub Inspector's connection with the well-known Colombo hard drug trafficker," CCD Director Senior SP Lugoda said.

The Government Analyst and his team visited the scene and made their observations to ascertain whether the blast was due to a grenade or a handbomb.