Australia-based doc alleges her flat illegally occupied by diplomatic mission employee

Dr. Rasanjali Ratnayake, a dual Sri Lankan and Australian passport holder, has said that law enforcement authorities seemed to be quite indifferent to her complaint regarding a foreign national occupying a flat owned by her at Elvitigala Flats (Block F/No 12).

Having produced receipts issued by the Borella police and the Fraud Bureau, after recording her complaints in this regard, she said that a request was also made to the CEB Office, Borella, to disconnect the electricity to Flat-1-12, Elvitigala Flats, Elvitigala Mawatha, Borella.

Dr. Ratnayake, who has been living in Australia for some time, returned to Sri Lanka on March 18, this year, and stayed with relatives for over a week before visiting her flat on March 27. “I went to my flat with a cleaner and was quite surprised to see a foreign couple there. When inquired they said that the man served at the Bangladesh High Commission in Colombo.”

Responding to questions, Dr. Ratnayake said that she didn’t rent it out or grant legal authority to anyone to lease it. Dr. Ratnayake said that she visited the Bangladeshi mission to alert them what was going on and also informed Police Headquarters and Bangladesh Foreign Ministry through e-mail.

The Bangladeshi, identified as Personal Assistant to the Defence Advisor, has produced a document that disclosed a payment of Rs 504,000 was made to secure the flat in January for a period of one year.

Dr. Ratnayake said that law enforcement authorities could easily verify the ownership of the said flat and take tangible measures to inform the illegal occupant to leave. Unfortunately, those in authority seemed to be indifferent to her complaints though the public were being routinely urged to get in touch with the police in case of injustice perpetrated by anyone.