Agrarian Insurance Board case fixed for Oct. 29

Sarath Malalasekera

Colombo Chief Magistrate and Additional District Judge Sarojini Kusala Weerawardena further remanded the five suspects who had been remanded in the alleged massive fraud at the Agrarian Insurance Board and Agrarian Service till October 29.

The CID filing a further report in connection with their investigations told Court that they have taken into custody 2,918 application forms of farmers who were affected during the attack on Mavilaru anicut by the LTTE.

The five suspects are Trincomalee Agrarian Insurance Service Board Director Sarawanmuttu Aravindan, Pension Director U. R. Chandradasa, Fund Director R. Punnasiri Perera, woman clerk S. Rarasaih and Chairman Asoka Namal Ratnayake.

According to the CID investigations the suspects are alleged to have misappropriated millions of rupees, allocated to be distributed among the farmers affected during the attack on Mavilaru anicut by the LTTE suspects.

The suspects, employees of the Agrarian Insurance and Agrarian Service, are alleged to have misappropriated Government funds of Rs. 8,888,796, to be distributed among the farmers affected during the attack on Mavil Aru anicut.

It was revealed that suspect Namal Ratnayake had paid two farmers a sum of Rs. 43,240 and 14,995, the CID said. A special CID team is conducting investigations into the massive fraud.

The Judge directed the case to be called again on October 29.