Industries and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen has asked President Mahinda Rajapaksa to carry out an investigation into police raids carried out on two of his residences and a circuit bungalow. Mr. Bathiudeen had met the president personally to make the request. Two weeks ago police teams had searched for weapons at the minister’s residences in Mannar and Puttalam and his circuit bungalow in Vavuniya.
Mr. Bathiudeen told the Sunday Times that the police had questioned the inmates and personal staff about visitors to the residences and whether they carried any weapons. “They also searched the premises for any hidden weapons and could not locate anything,” he claimed.
The raid came a day after Mr. Bathiudeen during a meeting to discuss the recent Grandpass mosque incident had demanded the resignation of the Inspector General of Police on the grounds that the police had failed to prevent the clashes there.
Two days after the raid Mr. Bathiudeen had written to the IGP demanding a full inquiry into the mosque incident and submitted CCTV footage on the attack which took place on August 10.
Police spokesman SP Buddhika Siriwardena said he was not aware about the raids.
By Chris Kamalendran/Sunday Times
