The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has launched an investigation into additional firearms issued by the Sri Lanka Army to former Minister Douglas Devananda, who is currently in custody.
Accordingly, the CID has launched investigations into 19 more firearms that had been issued to him.
The former minister was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department on 26 December.
The arrest is connected to investigations into an incident where a firearm issued by the Army for his personal use in 2001 was discovered in 2019 during the interrogation of the organized criminal Makandure Madush.
During the examination of the serial number of the firearm found in Madush’s possession, officers found that the weapon had been issued in the name of former Minister Devananda.
During questioning regarding the matter, Devananda failed to provide a satisfactory explanation as to how the firearm went missing, following which he was arrested by the CID on the same day.
After his arrest, he was detained and questioned under a 72-hour detention order, and he is scheduled to be produced before the Gampaha Magistrate’s Court today (28).
