SB responds to ‘CID probes powerful minister’

May 30, 2014, 10:03 pm , The Island


Apropos our lead story headlined ‘Colombo 07 house grab: CID probes powerful minister’ on May 30, Higher Education Minister, S. B. Dissanayake has said that the house situated at Neta Avenue, Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo 7 had been taken over by the University of Colombo on a judicial order given on November 11, 2011. The minister said that the University had also taken over all items found therein after having them listed.

The minister said that a person identified as Dr. Shiva Chinnathambi had handed over the house to the University of Colombo in 2005 after having given it to a relative, Kumaran Chittaranjan, on life interest. The Higher Education Ministry and the University of Colombo had requested the law firm Neelakandan and Neelakandan in writing to hand over the house following death of Chittaranjan.

The minister alleged that though the Cinnamon Garden police had moved the court to take over the house, Neelakankan and Neelakandan in writing informed the University of Colombo to take over the house six months after the death of Chittaranjan. Subsequently, the house was taken over by the University of Colombo after having proved the legality of the transaction.

The reporter’s note: Our story was based on an ongoing investigation by the Criminal Investigation department.