A Deputy Controller and a former Deputy Controller of the Department of Immigration and Emigration have been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for issuing passports to underworld criminals Nuresh Supun Dayaratne alias 'Heenatiyana Mahesh' and Shan Arosh Liyanage alias 'Mathugama Shan' based on false information.
Police said that one of the two arrested suspects will be presented before the Vavuniya Magistrate's Court while the other will appear before the Kaduwela Magistrate's Court.
The arrests were made following an investigation supervised by CID DIG Rohan Premaratne.
The Deputy Comptroller of the Immigration Department is accused of preparing a foreign passport for "Heenatiyana Mahesh" under the fake name of Manikkuge Dinesh Silva, along with a fake passport number and identity card number. The suspect was apprehended by the CID during treatment at Sri Jayawardenepura Hospital.
Additionally, a former deputy controller of the immigration department was arrested for providing a fake passport to organized criminal 'Mathugama Shan', using the fake name Dodangoda Liyanage Rajesh Kumara Jayasinghe.
It was revealed that the former Deputy Controller currently holds a position as a Deputy Director in the Pension Department.
