The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has informed court that steps are being taken to freeze a luxury house belonging to Charith Abeysinghe, the first suspect in an alleged Rs. 120 million bribery case linked to drug trafficker ‘Harak Kata’.
The development was disclosed before Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama today (30), when the case was taken up following a request by the Commission.
CIABOC also informed court that it was seeking to restrict transactions involving two vehicles registered under the names of the wife and father of the third suspect, Waruna Handige Aruna Chathuranga.
Meanwhile, four bank accounts and several luxury vehicles belonging to the second suspect, Rakitha Rajapakshe, son of former Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, have already been frozen.
The asset restrictions are being pursued under the Proceeds of Crime Act, No. 5 of 2025, with CIABOC informing court that the relevant reports would be submitted within 72 hours.
The Magistrate subsequently fixed December 8 as the next date for the case to be called, allowing the Commission to provide an update on the progress of its actions.
The investigation concerns allegations that Charith Abeysinghe, Rakitha Rajapakshe and Waruna Handige Aruna Chathuranga demanded and received Rs. 120 million from the wife of alleged underworld figure and drug trafficker Nandun Chinthaka Wickramaratne, widely known as ‘Harak Kata’, in exchange for providing assistance to him.
All three suspects, who were previously held in remand custody over the allegations, have since been released on bail.
