Financial Crimes Investigation Division

The Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) (Sinhala: මූල්‍ය අපරාධ විමර්ශන අංශය) (Tamil: நிதி குற்றம் புலனாய்வு பிரிவு) is a law enforcement unit of the Sri Lanka Police tasked with investigating financial crimes.

Financial Crimes Investigation Division
මූල්‍ය අපරාධ විමර්ශන අංශය (Sinhala)
நிதி குற்றம் புலனாய்வு பிரிவு (Tamil)
ActiveFebruary 26, 2015 (2015-02-26)
CountrySri Lanka
AgencySri Lanka Police
HeadquartersCentral Point Building, Chatham street, Colombo 01
MottoRighteously protect those who abide the Law
AbbreviationFCID

Overview

FCID was established by Minister of Public Order and Christian Affairs John Amaratunga on 26 February 2015 under the instructions from the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and it is headed by the DIG Ravi Waidyalankara.[1][2]

Financial Crimes Investigation Division is directly accountable for carrying out investigations throughout the island into serious financial fraud, misuse of state assets or funds, cases of a nature that require intellectual skills and complex detection. At times, the FCID carries out investigations pertaining to Government revenue. The FCID agencies are highly skilled in encountering the Major Financial Crimes, Frauds, Unsolicited Mega Projects, Major Financial Crimes against Public Property, Money Laundering, Terrorist financing and financial transaction, Illegal financial Transaction, Unlawful enrichments, and Offences on Financial Crimes against National Security.

The FCID has utmost powers to arrest civilians, government workers and legislator from anywhere in Sri Lanka without getting approval from Attorney General or DIG of this unit. The suspect can be remanded by a Magistrate Court until further hearings.

History

The Financial Crimes Investigation Division was formed on 26 February 2015 under the purview of Sri Lanka Police Service.

FCID is directly responsible in handling the investigations on the corruption charges against the Rajapaksa Administration and the public service that involved in large-scale corruption which led to destabilize the Government revenue. However there was number of complaints against several high profile ministers of the Sirisena cabinet also.[3]

FCID has also arrested several high profile ministers of Rajapaksa Administration including former Economy Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa.[4]

The FCID also received training from UK's Serious Fraud Office after the Sri Lankan government requested international assistance against corruption in 2015.[5]

In 2017 July, President Maithripala Sirisena expressed his disapproval on the FCID activities over investigations carried out against his cabinet members Minister A.H.M. Fowzi using a car belonging to another ministry and appointment given to his daughter by former state minister Priyankara Jayaratne. It is also revealed that government spends Rs.1.2 million monthly to maintain the FCID. [6]

Notable Arrests
StatusSuspect NameCharge(s)Date of ArrestOccupationReference
In Custody
Bail granted through High Court		Basil RajapaksaMisappropriation of construction of public housing funds22 April 2015Former Minister of Economy Development[4]
Released on BailJohnston FernandoCharged on looting Lanka Sathosa goods5 May 2015Former Minister of Co-operatives & Internal Trade[7][8]
In CustodyNihal JayatilakeMisappropriation of construction of public housing funds22 April 2015Former Secretary of Economy Development[4]
In CustodyR. R. K. RanawakaMisappropriation of construction of public housing funds22 April 2015Former Director General of Divineguma[4]
In CustodySaliya WickramasuriyaMisappropriation of Tsunami funds9 May 2015Former Chief Operating Officer of the Reconstruction and Development Agency[9]

References
  1. "Opening of Financial Crime Investigation Division". Sri Lanka Police. Archived from the original on 23 June 2015.
  2. "John Amaratunga questions IGP on the topic of corruption (Watch Report)". NewsFirst. 26 Feb 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  3. "Complaint Filed Against Rajitha Senaratne On Alleged Financial Fraud". Retrieved 2017-10-01.
  4. "Sri Lanka ex-leader's brother Basil Rajapaksa arrested". BBC World. 22 April 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  5. "UK supports Sri Lanka to combat bribery and corruption".
  6. "Govt. unhappy over FCID investigations".
  7. "Johnston Fernando arrested". News..lk. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  8. "Johnston released on bail". DailyMirror.lk. 28 May 2015. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  9. "Fmr COO of RADA Saliya Wickremasuriya arrested". DailyMirror (Sri Lanka). 9 May 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
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