Dhanapala of the Presidential Secretariat, who helped 'Karandeniye Sudda' make a fake passport, arrested

A current Senior Assistant Secretary of the Presidential Secretariat has been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on the charge of assisting 'Karandeniya Sudda', a person considered a powerful organized criminal, to flee the country by fraudulently preparing a fake passport under another person's name. The arrested individual, during a special operation conducted yesterday (26) afternoon, is a 41-year-old high-ranking official named Dhanapala, residing in the Kandy area, who served in the Parliament and Cabinet Division.

This raid was carried out after a lengthy investigation conducted by the Homicide and Organized Crime Investigation Division of the Criminal Investigation Department.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that this suspect previously served as the Deputy Controller of the Foreign Missions Division at the Department of Immigration and Emigration. During that period, information has been confirmed that this fake passport was prepared for the said organized criminal by criminally misusing his official authority and departmental systemic access. The involvement of a high-ranking official representing the country's highest executive administrative structure in fraudulently preparing state documents by maintaining direct links with international criminal networks and organized criminals raises a serious legal question for national security as well as the credibility of the entire public service.

This search operation and arrest was carried out under the direct supervision and guidance of high-ranking police officials: Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police Ranmal Kodithuwakku, in charge of the Crimes, Traffic, Child and Women Abuse Prevention Investigation Division; Deputy Inspector General of Police Chandana Kodithuwakku, in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department Division; and Senior Superintendent of Police Kamal Ariyawansa, Director of the Criminal Investigation Department. The police have taken steps to record extensive statements from the suspect Senior Assistant Secretary regarding other individuals connected to this criminal network involved in preparing fake passports and the financial transactions related thereto. The Criminal Investigation Department is conducting further investigations into this matter, and after recording statements, the suspect is expected to be produced before the court.