Former Minister Douglas Devananda, who was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), is scheduled to be produced before the Gampaha Magistrate’s Court today (27).
Devananda was taken into custody last afternoon (26) by CID officers in connection with an incident in which his personal firearm reportedly fell into the hands of members of an organized criminal gang.
It is reported that the former minister was arrested in connection with an investigation into an incident in which a firearm, which was provided to then minister Devananda by the Sri Lanka Army for his personal use in 2001, was later recovered following the interrogation of organised criminal figure ‘Makandure Madush’ in 2019.
Upon checking the serial number of the weapon, it was revealed that the firearm in question had been issued to Devananda.
The former minister’s pistol-type firearm was subsequently found concealed in a forested area near a culvert in Weliweriya.
Accordingly, Devananda is to be produced before the Gampaha Magistrate’s Court today for further legal proceedings.
The Homicide and Organized Crime Investigation Unit of the CID is continuing further inquiries into the incident.
