Customs director nabbed taking Rs 1m bribe

Priyanka Kurugala and Panduka Samarasekera

The Custom Director heading the Preventive Division of Sri Lanka Customs was nabbed by bribery sleuths while accepting Rs one million from an importer of spare parts.

Custom Preventive Division director Kanakasabai Ranjan was taken into custody by officials of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption following a tip - off yesterday. Bribery Commissioner Dr Jayantha Wickremeratne said officials arrested Ranjan while accepting the money from the businessman. It is alleged that the Head of the Division had asked the businessman to give him Rs five million to issue a certificate to release the container with spare parts.

After negotiations, he had agreed to issue the letter for Rs two million. The suspect will be produced before the Colombo chief magistrate.