Tiran Alles and two others remanded till 10 November

By T. Farook Thajudeen

Colombo High Court yesterday further remanded, till 10 November, former Chairman of Reconstruction and Development Agency (RADA) Tiran Alles and two other executive officers Dr. Rohan Saliya Wickramasooriya and Jayantha Dias Samarasinghe.

The three accused and one time LTTE fund raiser Emil Kanthan were indicted in the High Court on seven charges over the financial fraud caused to the tune of Rs. 124 m by misappropriating public funds from 6 December 2006 to 8 February 2009.

Nalin Ladduwahetty (PC), Anil Silva (PC) and Senior Counsel Nalinda lndatissa, appearing for the three accused, pleaded that the accused be released on bail, taking into consideration their failing health as a special reason to release them on bail.

The Counsel contended that, on previous occasions they were released on bail by taking into account the health issues of the accused by the Magistrates and by Colombo High Court. The counsel submitted the diagnosis reports of the JMO and specialist doctors who examined the accused to support their arguments.

However, Deputy Solicitor General Yasantha Kodagoda appearing for the prosecution objected to releasing the accused on bail, highlighting the time lapse of the medical reports tendered in court, arguing that those reports do not explain the present health conditions of the accused. He also said that in case of an emergency, there were few options if the accused suddenly fell ill.  

These options are to take the accused to the National Hospital in Colombo, to treat them in a private hospital or to treat then at the Prison Hospital. The D. S. G. Stressed that all these steps could easily be taken even if the accused were to continue in remand. 

The investigations conducted by Director Mevan Sllva and P. M. D. Gunathilaka of the Police Special investigation Unit alleged that RADA Chairman Tiran Alles had obtained the funds from the Treasury to build houses for tsunami victims, however no houses were constructed. 

It was said that the funds collected by the organisation were credited to a bogus company called Oomps Textiles ltd, formed by three individuals identified as Shanthi Kumar, Gajan Kumar and their mother Anandi Shanthi Kumar.