The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption arrested Former Environment and Trade State Minister Sathasivam Viyalenderan yesterday (25.03.2025) on allegations of aiding and abetting two individuals to solicit a bribe of Rs. 2.0 million and accept Rs.1.5 million from an individual in exchange for making the necessary arrangements to issue him the requested Trade License.

Based on a complaint made by a traditional medical officer of Panamure, Investigation Officers of the Commission arrested three individuals who solicited Rs. 1.0 million from the complainant to arrange matters for her to get the Traditional Medical Certificate of the Ayurvedic Medical Council with the Commissioner’s knowledge. Accordingly, the officers arrested a resident of Kelaniya, a businessman of Pilimathalawa and an NGO Coordinator residing in Nawalapitiya on 22nd March 2025 at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel on allegations of accepting Rs. 500,000/- from the solicited amount and aiding and abetting the offence.

Based on a complaint made by a resident of Adippala, Investigation Officers of the Commission arrested a Police Constable of the Archchikattuwa Police Station on allegations of accepting Rs. 1,500/-, in exchange for issuing the Police Clearance Report to the complainant. The Constable has initially demanded Rs. 2,000/- and later brought it down to Rs. 1,500/-. The suspect was arrested at 3.55 p.m. on 14th March 2025 at Kaizer Bible Mosque premises, Bandarahena.

After an open investigation, the Investigation Officers of the Commission arrested two civilians on allegations of soliciting and accepting a bribe of Rs. 505,000/- from the complainant and three other individuals, pledging to offer public sector jobs. The arrest was made in the Kuttigala Padalangala area at around 7.30 a.m. on 13th March 2025.

The Investigation Officers of the Commission arrested a Sergeant of the Hatton Police Station on allegations of soliciting and accepting a bribe. According to the complainant, the Sergeant has initially demanded a bribe of Rs. 20,000 and reduced it to Rs. 15,000/- to get the complainant and his wife acquitted of the case pending against them at the Hatton Magistrate’s Court. The arrest was made at the Hatton Magistrate’s Court around 11.00 a.m. on 11th March 2025 while accepting the Rs. 15,000/-.

Based on a complaint made by a Sergeant of the Nikaweratiya Police Station, Investigation Officers of the Commission arrested two civilians at Dambadeniya and Allauwa on allegations of offering and aiding and abetting to offer a bribe of Rs. 20,000/-. According to the complainant, the two civilians offered the bribe requesting to name them as the witnesses instead as suspects of a cattle theft incident investigated by the Unresolved Crime Division of the Nikaweratiya Police Station. The two suspects were arrested at around 4.00 p.m. yesterday (06.03.2025), one inside a grocery store in front of the Police Station and the other near the main gate of the Police Station.

Based on a complaint made by a resident of Sitthandi, Investigation Officers of the Commission arrested a Development Officer of the Wandarumullai Agrarian Development Center on allegations of soliciting and accepting a bribe of Rs. 40,000. According to the complainant, the Development Officer has told the complainant that the cultivation of the 3-acre paddy field that belongs to the complainant’s wife was damaged, and he himself has made arrangements to get compensation for crop damage. The officer has then demanded Rs. 50,000/- from the complainant to deposit the compensation into the complainant’s bank account. The officer was arrested at 9.44 a.m. on 5th March 2025 in front of Chenkaladi Bank of Ceylon while accepting Rs. 40,000/- from the solicited amount.

Based on a complaint made by a resident of Galnewa, Investigation Officers of the Commission arrested an SI and a Constable of the Galnewa Police Station on allegations of soliciting a bribe of Rs. 30,000/- as a gratification and aiding and abetting to accept the bribe. According to the complainant, the Police Officer has claimed that the paddy harvester he bought does not belong to its seller, and solicited the bribe, pledging to abstain from taking legal action against him and get the money of the machine back through mediation, and also to allow him to continue his scrap ion business without any interference. The SI and the Constable were arrested at 11.55 a.m. and 11.58 a.m. on 01st March 2025 near the Galnewa Police Station.

Based on a complaint made by a resident of Ibbagamuwa, Investigation Officers of the Commission arrested a Public Health Inspector (PHI) on allegations of soliciting and accepting a bribe of Rs. 200,000. According to the complainant, he runs a restaurant with some of his friends and has submitted the application to Galewela Pradeshiya Sabha to renew the restaurant license for 2025. The PHI of the Galewela MOH office has demanded this bribe to give the PHI’s recommendation letter to the Padeshiya Sabha after inspecting the restaurant. Accordingly, the PHI was arrested at around 7.48 p.m. on 14th February 2025 near Sri Buddha Jayanthi Viharaya, Galkiriyagama.

Based on a complaint made by a resident of Giribawa, Officers of the Commission arrested a Police Sergeant on allegations of accepting a Rs. 20,000/- bribe. According to the complainant, the Sergeant solicited the bribe to bring the complainant’s wife before the court by executing the warrant order of the maintenance case filed against her for malicious abandonment and, help him thereby to obtain the arrears maintenance money. Further, the Police Officer has threatened the complainant saying he would take action to remand him for some false illegal act if the bribe was not given. Accordingly, the said Sergeant was arrested in front of the complainant's house at around 1.22 p.m. on 24.01.2025 while accepting the bribe.

Based on a complaint made by an individual in Mount Lavinia, Investigation Officers of the Commission arrested a Labour Officer of the Labour Department attached to the Colombo-West District Secretariat on allegations of soliciting and accepting a bribe of Rs. 250,000/-. According to the complainant, the said Officer has informed the complainant that he should increase the basic monthly salary of the employees of his company by Rs. 5,000/- and remit the EPF contribution relevant to the increased salary to the fund. He has further stated that the company has a history of offences and solicited the bribe to abstain from taking legal action with the support of senior officials and to return the documents taken into custody for investigations. The arrest was made at around 1.55 p.m. yesterday (22.01.2025) in front of the State Pharmaceutical Co-operation sales outlet near Templers Road junction while he was accepting the bribe.

Based on a complaint made by an individual in Nallur, Jaffna, Investigation Officers of the Commission arrested an authorized Immigration Officer on allegations of accepting a bribe of Rs. 500,000/- According to the complainant, he has been arrested for staying in Sri Lanka without a visa and the said Officer has solicited Rs. 500,000/- to attend the matters necessary to release the complainant from the Immigration Department’s Detention Center in Welisara, and the officer was arrested at around 4.42 p.m. yesterday (20.01.2025) while he was accepting the bribe inside the Detention Center.