Five including former Air Force Wing Commander Nishantha Gajanayake were indicted before the Colombo High Court yesterday (May 06th), on charges of abducting a Tamil businessman and his driver and demanding a ransom of Rs. six million.According to the magisterial inquiry, the main accused Gajanayake had been a wing commander of the Air Force at the time of the alleged crime, and had retired at the age of 40, on January 1, 2007.
The complaint says that businessman Nadarajah Sandarajah alias ‘Seeni Mudalali’ and his driver Ramaiyah Jeyaraj were abducted in Cinnamon Gardens and Wellawatta, between the 18th and the 28th of 2006, with the intention of extorting money and demanding Rs. 6 million as ransom.
The retired Air Force officer, two policemen Sub Inspector Chamila Indika Daladawatta (35) and Police Constable W. M. Sampath Prithi Viraj (30) and K. A. Jayasiri Kodituwakku and Prabhapillai Kandarasa were indicted on five counts, including conspiracy to abduct, abduction, extortion and aiding and abetting in the commission of the offences.
Of late, many Muslim and Tamil businessmen living in the Colombo suburbs reportedly disappeared or abducted and extorted.
Though the government claimed that a certain organized group was behind these incidents with the intention of defaming the government, the police were unable to bring the culprits to book.
While media reports claimed that a prominent government figure was behind these incidents, UNP MP Laksman Seneviratne, in a special statement, alleged that the leader of the gang, former Air Force Wing Commander Nishantha Gajanayake was staying at a star class hotel in Colombo under the security of the Defence Ministry.
After this disclosure, Gajanayake was arrested by the TID and was subsequently released on bail.
He was bailed out by a medical officer of the Army.
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