Statements have been recorded from ten court employees regarding the disappearance of two case files related to two separate cases filed before the Panadura Magistrate’s Court against organised criminal and drug trafficker Salindu Malsitha Gunaratne, also known as “Kudu Salindu”, police said.

Panadura Division Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Nishan de Silva said that seven female officials were among those from whom statements had been recorded.

The investigation was launched following a complaint lodged with the Panadura South Police Headquarters by the Registrar of the Panadura Magistrate’s Court on September 01 regarding the missing case files.

Following the submission of facts to the court through a ‘B Report’, further investigations were initiated by the Panadura Divisional Crime Investigation Bureau.

The missing files relate to a case concerning a murder committed in the Panadura North area allegedly on the instructions of “Kudu Salindu” and another case filed by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) under the Money Laundering Act, officials said.

The CID had been unable to locate a report relating to a case called before the court through a motion on August 28. Consequently, it has been adjourned to be called again on August 31 through a sub-directory.

Subsequent investigations revealed that the relevant case files were missing.

Preliminary police investigations have revealed that the files had been handed over to an office assistant to obtain copies and were subsequently placed in the archives, from where they later went missing.

Police are also expected to examine the CCTV camera system installed within the court complex in the future as part of the investigation.