COVER UP
- Chairman SriLankan Airlines Caught With Huge Haul Of Foreign Currency
A massive cover up is underway to conceal and shield Chairman SriLankan Airlines Nishantha Wickramasinghe from being prosecuted for having in his possession an undeclared Rs. 4 million worth of currency both local and foreign.
Repeated attempts by The Sunday Leader to verify from Nishantha Wickramasinghe how he had Rs. 4 million worth of currency in his residence at De Saram Road, Mt. Lavinia failed as Wickramasinghe refused to come to the phone.
Police as well as top management at SriLankan Airlines also fought shy of revealing any details or providing explanations on how Wickramasinghe came to be in the possession of such a massive sum of undeclared currency stashed in his home when thieves broke in and stole the loot. Even the police spokesman SP Ajith Rohana, three days after the robbery, claimed he was unaware of such an incident when contacted by the media.
SriLankan Airlines CEO, Kapila Chandrasena declined to comment when asked if Wickramasinghe had recently been afforded a monthly remuneration package of Rs. 500,000 plus perks. “Please ask the Board Secretary,” he pleaded, requesting that we leave him out of this controversy.
Board Secretary Ms. Melgrade Peiris maintained she could not divulge company information which is privileged.
Eight special police units have been deployed to search for the thieves who broke into Wickramasinghe’s residence in Mt. Lavinia on June 7, and got away with Rs. 4 million worth of currency and a Rolex wristwatch valued at Rs. 4 million.
The 8 million rupee heist, according to highly placed sources in the police department, has resulted in 50 people being questioned, but the police told The Sunday Leader that they have no clues yet and no arrests have been made. However a massive police operation is underway but no investigation has been launched to prosecute Wickramasinghe who is clearly in violation of Exchange Control laws.
Controller, Exchange Control Department of the Central Bank P. H. O. Chandrawansa said that if a person retains foreign currency worth US$ 2,000 with him 90 days after returning to Sri Lanka from overseas it is a violation of the Exchange Control Act.
See page 9 for the full story.
These well paid executives are the worst crooks of the land. They do their acts very smoothly and it is very seldom they get caught. Even when they get caught with glaring evidence then those who are in the upper echelons like ministers etc. provide the cover to these corrupted chairmans Eg. CPC, Colombo Port, Si Lankan Air, SLEB, SLTB etc., This type of action is not new, it was there since the begining and the problem was that none of the Prime Ministers or the Presidents brought these executives into justice because their hands were not clear. Like Chandrika got a villa for the Air Lanka, Premadasa bougth a bungalow in London for his son to stay and gave a good position in bank of Ceylon London branch to one of his wife’s brothers (who was a Survey Draftsman in the Survey department, he was looking after the bungalow) and the other an ambassador position in an European county even though none of these two were qualified to hold these positions. Premadasa was also not a person who has gone through door of well education like SWRD, Dudley, J.R., etc. At least the current President should immediate action against corrupted Govt. officers and bring them to justice. If the current President’s Army Tribunal can convict one of the officers who misused the Army Tender procedures and slap a jail sentence then he can also take appropriate actions against these Govt. officers for Fraud, Waste, Corruption and Abuse. If he honest and do this he will be great.
OOOps…. law can not touch them because they are the Law!
There wont be any further inquires for the violation of Exchange control act as he is BIL of MR. Its a known fact that there are two laws in the country, one is for the ordinary citizens and the other is for the MR and clan. Aschchriya…
One rule for Mrs. Tillekeratne and another for Mr. Wickremasinghe. What a country.
Controller, Exchange Control Department of the Central Bank P. H. O. Chandrawansa said that if a person retains foreign currency worth US$ 2,000 with him 90 days after returning to Sri Lanka from overseas it is a violation of the Exchange Control Act..
CONTROLLER OF EXCHANGE, THE LAW IS CLEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR???????????
RAJAPAKSE AND COMPANY ARE ABOVE THE LAW.
Turn back and think what Lord Buddha taught … “earning in an illegal manner” … KARMA
So will Nishantha face the same fate as the Fonsekas, who were also convicted of having undeclared foreign currency or will there be a different law for him?
Sounds like Sri Lanka… Were they not making a big deal out of SF’s mil having forex in her house.
Why the two standards? Political influence? I wonder…!!!
Who ‘s unaccounted money is this in US $ 40,000? Needs to take the course of action like in the case of Gen: Fonseka. Income Tax people also make the necessary investigation. Bribery Department should too take the necessary steps
It is better to have more responsibale, More Educated, Strait forward Gentalman as Police spoksman. As the prsent man has showen his qulifications to Judge Neutral has failed.
Reason reason they can’t be prosecuted is all these crooks are relayed to raja hora group of samagama.
Police, immigration hereafter you have no right go after other people.Law is equal????
ohhh……. that’s why sri lankan air line worker not paid wel
Baduth ekka Horu.
Hora Polis, One phone call will clear him.
Anay Board Secretay, oyath kolay wahanawa
The thieves have to be caught, punished and also rewarded for helping the Police to recover Black foreign currency
On the basis of the complainant’s declaration to the police on his complaint will mr. Chandrawansa take necessary action ???????
Nishantha Wickrfemasinghe is not above the law. He must be hauled up before the relevant authorities and punishment given accordingly. He is a rogue and so are his family members.
Shame on him.Remove the exchange controls and find out how he got that kind of money.
So thieves were able to catch the bigger thief. What more proof do we need, that the people are fleecing this country, and taking advantage of the powerful positions they hold in our country. This nepotism and corruption is simply disgusting. Our country is being ripped off left, right and center.
No wonder Sri Lankan airlines is running at a loss. Between MR’s globetrotting with his entourage, and the Sri Lankan airlines Chairman enriching himself, what chance does the national carrier have to make profits and even sustain itself.
Shame on the Rajapaksa’s and their families.
He has done such a great service to the general public of this country that we all better forgive this hero!
This is the bane of this country. The corruption among the “Family” has reached epidemic proportions with nepotism and family bandy ism at an all time high. What has been stolen from the residence of this pathetic dirt bag must be merely loose change lying around and god knows how much loose change he has got with his “gift” of the 4 million rupee Rolex.
Under the guise of Beautification one person is annexing all the prime lands in the country and selling these to “Catchers”, another under Economic development is handling mega contracts sans tenders, another is dealing in sand contracts and timber and minting money, one pup is a wheeler dealer trying to get a mega global sporting event hosted in this country to make his mega bucks, another pup is using a blatantly corrupt TV station to make the bucks while all other near and far relative are fed some crumbs (Which are also in millions) to keep them happy.
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Through all this this the stupid, incompetent and pathetic opposition would make a feeble protest and go back to sleep in their customary style. Who will give us the leadership for a Marcos type revolution in this country to get rid of this den of thieves.
Once it was said that the Uncles and Nephew Party families robbed the country, now the Self Loving Fleezing Party leadership and also their massinas are robbing.
People peple!! Please don’t worry…. the kind Mr. Nishantha Wickramasinghe was just holding on to the money to pay up what is owned by UL to the petroluem corporation! Have some faith folks….this banana republic is that bad! All part of the Chief Crooks Chintanays.
Thiis cursed family & all their kith & kin are a bunch of rogues. Have they no shame by living off the taxpayers money ? We have not forgotten the Tsunami Hora.
I think he was preparing to go the bank to pay the bill for what SL-Airlines had to pay for fuel . At that time, evenhe did not know this druggie came and stole all the money.
now how in hell can he have a 4million watch” and so much foreign currency. so typical of SL, this entire paranparawa is set, after OUR TAX MONEY! shame on u buggers, if he is in so called violation ” some dam action should be taken? rubbish..