Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama today (July 9) ordered the Colombo female Land Registrar, who was recently arrested and released on bail, to immediately hand over her mobile phone to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for forensic analysis. The Magistrate issued this directive after considering a motion filed by the CID during the court proceedings.
The Magistrate further directed the suspect to surrender her passport to the court. This follows a previous court order issued on July 8, where the suspect was granted bail under two personal sureties of Rs. 1 million each, along with a strict overseas travel ban. In a bid to isolate the suspect from compromising the ongoing probe, the court has also completely banned her from entering the Colombo Land Registry premises.
The CID’s Financial Crimes Investigation Division informed the court that preliminary inquiries have exposed a massive, sophisticated racket. The suspect allegedly abused her official position to sneak out internal land records, including folio extracts, volumes, and secondary copies of deeds, to external syndicates. The prosecution contends that she engaged in conspiracy and directly aided and abetted organized criminal networks to manufacture fraudulent deeds, subsequently alienating and selling high-value properties away from their rightful, lawful owners.
Investigating officers stated that the suspect was produced before the court for offenses committed under Sections 109 and 113—to be read with Sections 113(b) and 158—of the Penal Code, alongside provisions of the Offences Against Public Property Act. Seeking to unearth the wider network involved in this syndicate, Magistrate Bodaragama additionally ordered the CID to scrutinize the bank statements and phone records of all other employees at the Land Registry office and to submit a comprehensive report. The case has been scheduled to be taken up again on October 22, 2026.
