‘Yaha Paalana’ minister Fowzie’s secretary in land grabbing
Nov 04, 2015
When appointing secretaries to ministries of the ‘Yaha Paalana’ government, the president had issued a directive to appoint those free of corruption and fraud.
Notwithstanding that advice, Fowzie too, got a ministry allocated for the SLFP. Appointed as secretary to that ministry was a person by the name Suhail. During the Chandrika Bandaranaike period too, he held a position at an institution, and for a short period of the 100 day government, he was appointed a director of Rupavahini Corporation.
His house is located at Rosmead Place, and his next door neighbour was an NGO member by the name Jeevantha Raja. Suhail started extending the boundary of his property and built a fence by taking over more than four perches of Jeevantha Raja’s land. Jeevantha Raja lodged a complaint with Cinnamon Garden police.
Summoned to police, Suhail claimed his political affiliations and influenced the investigation, and warned an immediate stop, as he was having close connections with the president.
Anyhow, Jeevantha Raja managed to inform president about the injustice done to him, and Suhail came under fire from the president.
But, not stopping there, Suhail used underworld thugs and has got Jeevantha Raja’s son assaulted. After that, Jeevantha Raja’s wife and son left for England, and he had to live alone at his Rosmead Place home.
So far, the relevant authorities have not taken any legal action with regard to this land dispute owing to intimidation by Suhail.
There is a question as to why the ‘Yaha Paalana’ government is retaining such a corrupt person in a key position. There are many corruption accusations against him. Among them is the swindling of Rs. 70 million through the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission to telecast tele dramas. He has also demanded a big sum from Ruwan Wijewardena to grant a private television channel license, and when he refused to agree, Suhail had sent messages to him through Wijaya Newspapers editors that he could give the license, but at a big payment.
The question here is how come a person who is accused of massive financial fraud and fights over others’ properties has got hold of a position in the ‘Yaha Paalana’ government.
His house is located at Rosmead Place, and his next door neighbour was an NGO member by the name Jeevantha Raja. Suhail started extending the boundary of his property and built a fence by taking over more than four perches of Jeevantha Raja’s land. Jeevantha Raja lodged a complaint with Cinnamon Garden police.
Summoned to police, Suhail claimed his political affiliations and influenced the investigation, and warned an immediate stop, as he was having close connections with the president.
Anyhow, Jeevantha Raja managed to inform president about the injustice done to him, and Suhail came under fire from the president.
But, not stopping there, Suhail used underworld thugs and has got Jeevantha Raja’s son assaulted. After that, Jeevantha Raja’s wife and son left for England, and he had to live alone at his Rosmead Place home.
So far, the relevant authorities have not taken any legal action with regard to this land dispute owing to intimidation by Suhail.
There is a question as to why the ‘Yaha Paalana’ government is retaining such a corrupt person in a key position. There are many corruption accusations against him. Among them is the swindling of Rs. 70 million through the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission to telecast tele dramas. He has also demanded a big sum from Ruwan Wijewardena to grant a private television channel license, and when he refused to agree, Suhail had sent messages to him through Wijaya Newspapers editors that he could give the license, but at a big payment.
The question here is how come a person who is accused of massive financial fraud and fights over others’ properties has got hold of a position in the ‘Yaha Paalana’ government.
