Pitch invader produced in UK court under different name

Fake credit card case takes new turn

Interpol issues red notice on behalf of GoSL

By shamindra Ferdinando-July 21, 2013

A British passport holder of Sri Lankan origin, Logeswaran Manimaran, 37, wanted by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for fraudulently withdrawing Rs. 3,28,71,000 from the Commercial Bank and the Hatton National Bank, has been recently produced in Cardiff Magistrate’s court, Wales, under a different name.

The suspect, Manimaran Sadasaramoorthy, 42, of Mitcham, Surrey was produced before Judge Martin Brown on July 10 for invading the Swalec stadium pitch during an ICC Champions Trophy match between Sri Lanka and India on June 20. The court appearance was made in the wake of Interpol issuing a red notice on behalf of the Sri Lankan government for his arrest. Interpol has identified the suspect as a one-time resident of Polikandy, Jaffna.

Interpol acted swiftly after Colombo Chief Magistrate, Gihan Pilapitiya, on July 3 issued an open warrant for Manimaran’s arrest, following the CID informing Court that the suspect was the same person who had invaded the pitch at the Cardiff Grounds. Interpol requested anyone having information regarding Logeswaran Manimaran to contact the police.

The case comes up before the Colombo Chief Magistrate on July 30.

The CID told Court that a positive identification had been made by comparing the visuals recorded in the CCTV cameras fixed in the ATM cubicles and pictures of the suspect taken on the pitch. Sources told The Island that a tattoo on his left forearm was clearly visible in pictures taken at Swalec stadium, Cardiff, and those provided by banks. Interpol released several pictures of the suspect provided by the CID taken by CCTV cameras and one taken years ago in Sri Lanka.

According to the CID, the suspect also identified himself as Mohamed Raji.

The UK media quoted prosecutor Davod Cooke as having told Judge Brown that Sadasaramoorthy had given a false name and false date of birth upon his arrest and was later found to have "previous convictions for dishonesty, the last of which was in 2006. 

The judge gave him seven days to pay a £250 fine, £85 court costs and a £25 victim surcharge.Well informed sources told The Island that Manimaran Sadasaramoorthy hadn’t been listed on the UK electoral list. During the court sittings on July 10, there hadn’t been any reference to the suspect’s involvement in credit card fraud. Two of his associates, Ananda Ruban Kuladeepan and Balasubramanium Udayadas are held under detention orders for their involvement in the credit card fraud.

 The British media quoted Sadasaramoorthy as having said: "My dad lived in Sri Lanka in the north east and in 2009 the Sri Lankan government declared war. My father was arrested and they murdered him."

The British media described the suspect as an unemployed father of two. He pleaded guilty to a section five public order offence at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court.

Sadasaramoorthy was accused, along with six other protesters, who all pleaded not guilty to the offence and were bailed out on the condition that they couldn’t attend any national or international cricket matches until their trial in September.

An eighth man admitted throwing a stone at a passing car outside the stadium, while a ninth man accused of common assault was unable to submit a plea because he could not understand the Tamil interpreter provided by the court – his case was adjourned until July 23.

Saying he was aware that ethnic Tamils had a "grievance" against the Sri Lankan government, Judge Brown asked him to instead explain why he run onto the pitch on June 20.

Six other defendants who denied public order offences are Regan Charles Kumar Balachandran, 23, of Newham, London, Sukitharshan Karthikesu, 25, of Buckhurst Hill, Essex, Thilakshan Kulasingam, 19, of Mitcham, Surrey, Kaunshanth Maheswaran, 20, of Dartford, Kent, Sivendran Nadarajah, 24, of Mitcham, Surrey and Thayalan Ratnam, 31, of Croydon.