Even though Champika said he was hanging, the autopsy reveals 'strangulation'

The main suspect in the case of finding the dead body of a young woman named Shyama Darshani, a physiotherapist at Ampara Hospital, inside a car parked in a parking lot in the Teldeniya area, along with his mistress and their four-year-old child, are scheduled to be produced before the Nuwara Eliya Magistrate's Court today. Nuwara Eliya Divisional Assistant Superintendent of Police Chandana Basnayake stated that they expect to obtain detention orders for further questioning of these suspects.

They were arrested during a special operation carried out by the Panadura Walana Anti-Corruption Unit yesterday morning in the Kaithady area of Chawakachcheri, Jaffna, and were brought to Nuwara Eliya yesterday afternoon for further investigations.

According to police investigations, the main suspect, accompanied by his mistress and child, fled from Wellawatte by bus to Jaffna with the intention of secretly migrating to India by boat from there. A team of officers, including Assistant Superintendent of Police Rohan Olugala, Director of the Walana Anti-Corruption Strike Force, carried out this raid yesterday morning around 5:30 AM with the assistance of the Jaffna Divisional Criminal Investigation Department. Police sources state that had it not been for this sophisticated operation, which was carried out sleeplessly throughout the night on Assistant Superintendent of Police Rohan Olugala's birthday yesterday, the suspects might have escaped from the country.

During initial police questioning, the main suspect and his mistress revealed several important details related to the incident. The suspect stated that the physiotherapist attempted to commit suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling in a room of an apartment in Nuwara Eliya town, and when he arrived, she was unconscious. He claimed that she died while being taken to the hospital, and out of fear, he left her body in the car and took it to the Teldeniya area and abandoned it. He admitted to taking money from the deceased young woman but stated that it was not Rs. 15 million as initially reported. However, the post-mortem examination conducted by Teldeniya Specialist Judicial Medical Officer Dr. K.S. Bandara revealed that she did not commit suicide, and the murder was committed by strangulation with an object like a cloth or a rope. The police discovered the body on the 17th of last month.

According to investigations, the reason for planning this brutal murder was the suspect defrauding the young woman of over Rs. 15 million by promising to take her to Canada and offering marriage. The young woman, who was under severe mental stress due to obtaining bank loans and loans from friends to get this money, continuously pressured the suspect to return the money, which led to this crime. The suspect, who claims to have committed these fraudulent acts to support his wife and children, received full support from his mistress. To deceive wealthy young women, she posed as the suspect's elder sister, building these fraudulent relationships by claiming to be looking for a suitable wealthy and virtuous partner for her brother.

The arrested main suspect is someone who has defrauded many young men and women in various parts of the island of millions of rupees in this manner. Complaints regarding these rackets, carried out by offering foreign jobs and marriage promises, have been received by several police stations including Gampaha, Aluthkade, Tissamaharama, Kaduwela, Horana, and Wennappuwa. Cases are currently being heard in several courts against them for defrauding a young woman from Gampaha of Rs. 11.8 million, a young woman from Colombo of Rs. 1.7 million, another young woman of Rs. 1.3 million, a person from Tissamaharama of Rs. 2.2 million by promising to import vehicles, and a young man of Rs. 4.2 million by promising foreign jobs. Previously, in 2018, this couple was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department for 4 large-scale frauds.

Meanwhile, a person working as a driver for the Kundasale Pradeshiya Sabha was also arrested yesterday afternoon in the Pallekele area of Kandy on suspicion of aiding and abetting the main suspect by providing transport and accommodation facilities for his escape after committing this crime. He is accused of providing the suspect with a motorcycle and accommodation. The car used to transport the deceased woman's body and the motorcycle used by the suspect for travel have also been taken into police custody. Further investigations into this matter are being carried out under the direct supervision of Nuwara Eliya Assistant Superintendent of Police Chandana Basnayake.