Ministerial aides looking for buried LTTE gold, under investigation

The police have initiated an inquiry into allegations that a Coordinating Secretary on the staff of Public Security Minister Rear Admiral (retd.) Sarath Weerasekera, along with a Secretary to Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda, recently made an attempt to recover a stock of gold buried by the LTTE at Puthukudirippu in the Mullaitivu district.

Minister Weerasekera’s Office yesterday (01) confirmed that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had launched an investigation into the alleged involvement of ministerial aides in a gold recovery bid. According to the Public Security Ministry, those officials had been looking for the LTTE gold and sought the assistance of OIC Puthukudirippu to carry out the clandestine operation.

Sources said that they had visited the OIC of the Puthukudirippu police station recently to explore ways and means of digging for gold.

Minister Devananda’s spokesperson was not available for comment.