Jeevan discharged in cheating case

Sarath Malalasekera

COLOMBO: Minister Jeevan Kumaratunga and Prasanna Rajeewa who appeared before Gangodawila Chief Magistrate Padmini Ranaweera, on notice by Court, were yesterday discharged from the proceedings into an alleged cheating case on an application by their Senior Counsel.

When the case was called before the Gangodawila Chief Magistrate, Attorneys-at-Law Upali Senaratne and Harsha Nanayakkara, Senior Counsel for Kumaratunga and Ranaweera, submitted to court that their clients were innocent and had no involvement in connection with sending people abroad for employment or collecting funds to that effect.

At the outset, Inspector Tillakeratne of the Mirihana Special Investigation Unit submitting a further report in connection with investigations into the complaint of cheating Rs. 1.4 million collected from persons promising them foreign jobs, said according to investigations Kumaratunga and Prasanna Ranaweera were not involved in any of the money transactions to send people abroad for employment.

After lengthy submissions by Senior Counsel Upali Senaratne, Harsha Nanayakkara and Inspector Tillakaratne of the SIU, the Chief Magistrate directed Police to proceed against the suspect involved in the money transaction.