Colombo Chief Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake yesterday ordered the Chairman of a private bank to provide details of accounts over misappropriation of public funds amounting to Rs.12,500 million, allegedly involving the former President’s Chief of Staff Gamini Senarath and several officials.
The Judge issued this order when the relevant bank refused to grant details and pleaded the court to withdraw the order.
The Criminal Investigation Department is investigating into the former President’s Chief of Staff Gamini Senarath and several other officials for allegedly withdrawing funds amounting Rs.12,500 million from several banks and kept them under the custody of several persons, including the officials of Temple Trees during the last Presidential election period.
The Chief Magistrate cited that he is bound to issue any order which is appropriate with regard to the investigation under the Criminal Procedure Code and an order has been issued to grant relevant details to the CID under the Banking Act.
The Chief Magistrate noted that this order cannot be recalled and ordered the bank to provide details of the relevant accounts to the investigators without fail.
Investigations into this incident was initiated based on a complaint made by Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Sarath Dissanayake of Weera Uditha Mawatha, Hedigama, Piliyandala. The CID had sought court order to obtain the details of the accounts related to this incident.