Customs Director remanded until January 17

Sarath Malalasekera

Customs Preventive Director Kanakasabai Ranjan who is alleged to have accepted a Rs one million bribe from an importer, produced before Colombo Additional Magistrate Praharsha Ranasinghe was remanded until January 17.

Bribery officials producing an investigation report submitted to court that investigations into the complaint by the importer had not been completed and moved court to remand the Customs Director till January 17. President’s Counsel C R de Silva, Senior Counsel for Ranjan, moving for bail submitted that his client had not committed any offence and the complainant had made a false complaint against him.

He said his client had brought millions of rupees as revenue to the Customs Department over the past several years by detecting illegal imports.

He also moved court to direct Bribery officials to record the statement of an eye witness to the incident.

His evidence is very vital to his client’s case, the President’s Counsel said.

PC de Silva in his lengthy submissions said that the money was found on the ground. At this stage, Bribery officials said the money in question was found in a drawer of the Customs Director’s table.

On an application by PC de Silva to send the Customs Director to the Prisons Hospital, the magistrate directed the President’s Counsel to submit an affidavit in respect of his application.

President’s Counsel CR de Silva with A A M Illiyas, Nalinda Indatissa, Rasika Balasuriya, Srilal Dandeniya, Lalith Abeysiriwardena, Asela Rakewa and Samantha J Peiris appeared for the Customs Director.