Ex-Kalutara HQI granted bail in firearm handover case

Kalutara Chief Magistrate Mahesh Wakishtha yesterday (11) ordered the release on two surety bails of Rs. 1 million each of former Kalutara Headquarters Inspector (HQI) Ruwan Wijesinghe, who had been evading police, in connection with the incident of handing over a firearm under police custody to an outsider.

The suspect surrendered to the court yesterday (11) evening through his lawyers.

The incident is related to a business person who was arrested after the Police Special Task Force (STF), acting on a tip-off, searched a house in the Nagoda area of Kalutara and apprehended him along with several firearms and live ammunition. He is currently being held in remand custody.

It was revealed that one of the firearms seized from his possession belonged to the South Kalutara Police and had been entrusted to the South Kalutara Police by the Kalutara Magistrate's Court.

Chief Inspector Sanath Kumara, the Officer-in-Charge of the Kalutara District Crime Division, stated before the court that the former Kalutara HQI was named as the second suspect in the incident of handing over a firearm under police custody to an outsider.