Ransom demanding ring busted

* Prison inmates part of the gang

* Victims asked to deposit money in specific accounts

Yasaratne GAMAGE

Police have bared a racket by a group of criminals where affluent families in Mirihana and other areas have been threatened with harm and death if they did not deposit ransoms in several bank accounts.

Mirihana Police on Monday arrested a suspect in connection with the incident and further interrogation of the suspect revealed that another suspect who is serving a 36 year sentence in the Mahara Prison was instrumental in the racket. Police investigations followed a complaint lodged by a businessman on July 11 that he had deposited Rs 50,000 in a bank account which he was given over the phone by someone who threatened to kidnap his daughter, a student at an International School.

The complainant further stated that his wife had received another call the following day demanding another Rs 30,000 with the same warning on failure to comply. The businessman then decided to contact the police.

On the directions of Western Province Senior DIG Anura Senanayake, Nugegoda DIG Sumith Edirisinghe took over the investigations with a team headed by SP Saliya de Silva and ASP Nishantha de Soyza.

Mirihana police CI Janaka and a team arrested a suspect when he appeared at the bank to withdraw the money the businessman deposited.

Under interrogation he revealed the role of the main suspect in the Mahara prison. They had obtained the businessman’s telephone number from an advertisement the businessman got published seeking a shop assistant and a driver. Mirihana Police are investigating to arrest another suspect in this connection.

Several victims similarly threatened by the gang have already deposited ransom and the Police have deployed a special team to probe the persons who would be withdrawing money from their accounts.

Following are the account numbers the criminal gang opened to collect ransom: Bank of Ceylon-Wattala A/C No.70964161,Bank of Ceylon-Torringtom A/C No.71761834, Commercial Bank-Ragama A/C No.8221004447, Commercial Bank-Ragama A/C No.8110018153, Sampath Bank-Ragama A/C No.107354056332 and National Savings Bank-Wattala A/C No.10085-03-2342-0.

Police have appealed to the depositors who remit cash into these accounts to telephone on 011-2852686 or 011-2809243 to assist investigations.