Ex-Jaffna GA charged in RRAN fund fraud

[TamilNet, Monday, 07 July 2003, 18:51 GMT]
The Criminal Investigation Department of Police Monday filed a case in the Jaffna Magistrate's Court, charging that a former Government Agent, Mr.K.Shanmuganathan, defrauded about forty million rupees allocated by the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority for North (RRAN), legal sources said.

Inspector Pilapitya of the CID in Colombo Monday filed the plaint before the Jaffna Magistrate, Mr.R.T.Viknarajah. According to the police, the alleged offence had been committed during the period from 2000 to 2002. The RRAN allocated funds for about fourteen building projects, including the Kaithady Elders Home and markets at Chavakachcheri, Thirunelvely and Kokuvil, legal sources said.

On a complaint by Minister Dr.Jayalath Jayawardene on June 3 this year, the CID commenced the investigation and recorded the statement of the chief clerk who is responsible for the said building projects. The RRAN comes under Minister Jayawardene.

The Jaffna Magistrate Monday allowed an application of the CID Inspector to examine about fifty-eight cheques issued in connection with the alleged fraudulent activities, legal sources said.

When he found that all documents pertaining to this case were in the Sinhala language, the Magistrate instructed the Police to file all documents in Tamil at the next date as the court language for Northeast is Tamil, legal sources said.

The Magistrate then put off the inquiry in this case for August 8 this year, legal sources said.