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Fonseka denied role in scam: CID

COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan Criminal Investigations Department (CID) on Wednesday informed a court that they had a statement from the former Army Chief, General Sarath Fonseka, denying any illegal involvement in the approval of four suspicious tenders to a firm allegedly run by his son-in-law Dhanuna Tilekeratne in his capacity as the then chairman of the tender board.

A local court had issued a warrant for the arrest of Mr. Tilekeratne on Monday on charges filed by the CID that there were irregularities in the supply of arms to the military by his firm.

According to local media reports, when the inquiry into HiCorp, the firm reportedly owned by Mr. Tilekeratne, went before the Colombo Fort Magistrate, the CID informed the court they had recorded a statement from General (retired) Fonseka last Sunday.

He apparently told the CID that he had no knowledge of the owners of British Borneo Defence Company and HiCorp Ltd. Company and he had followed the relevant procedure on the four tenders following the approval of the Technical Evaluation Board.

Since the issue of the arrest warrant, Mr. Tilekeratne has been reported missing and his mother was picked up after raids on lockers in local banks reportedly belonging to her revealed foreign and local currency to the tune of Sri Lankan Rs.75 million. .

Meanwhile, visiting British shadow defence secretary Liam Fox, told reporters after meeting Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama that General (retired) Fonseka should be tried in a civil court where transparency would be paramount.

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