Former DIG of CID Prasad Ranasinghe granted bail

Former Deputy Inspector General of Police of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Prasad Ranasinghe who was arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) for allegedly obstructing investigations has been granted bail.

The former CID was produced before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court today after being taken into custody by the Bribery Commission, said Ada Derana reporter.

After considering submissions made by officers of the Bribery Commission and the legal representatives of the suspect, the Magistrate ordered that former DIG Ranasinghe be released on surety two bails of Rs. 1 million each.

The Magistrate also imposed an overseas travel ban on the suspect and ordered him to surrender his passport to the court.

The arrest has been made in connection with the ongoing investigation into the theft of historically valuable archaeological artifact known as ‘Sandagala,’ weighing more than 1,000 kilos and engraved with more than 300 years old carvings, which was located near the entrance steps of the palace of King Weera Parakrama Narendrasinghe, at the Udamaluwa Archaeological Site in Kundasale.

Accordingly, the former Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the CID, Prasad Ranasinghe is accused of corruption for allegedly influencing and obstructing the investigation into the looting of the artifact.