Gang of land-grabbers busted

by Norman Palihawadane

IGP CD Wickramaratne has ordered the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau to investigate a major racket where an organised group has grabbed properties from their rightful owners.

The racketeers forged land deeds and used force to remove the victims, mostly belonging to the minority communities, from their properties, the police said.

A racketeer taken into custody was produced before Colombo Chief Magistrate Court on Friday and remanded till 26 Sept. He was taken into custody on a special court order after an attempt to grab a shop at First Cross Street, in Colombo, on 22 Aug.The suspect, named S. Bandara alias Nilame, has been accused of leading a group of nine others, who forcibly entered the shop, in First Street, claiming that they owned the place. They chased away the shopkeeper, PHMMP Vignesh, after taking his mobile phones.

Following a complaint from the current owner of the shop, the Pettah police nabbed nine persons and produced them before Colombo High Court Judge on 25 Aug.Following an order by the Court to arrest Bandara, who masterminded the incident, the police nabbed Bandara on Friday and produced him before the courts.