Acting Police Spokesperson SSP Ruwan Gunasekara said that action can be taken under the charges of robbery when the vehicles are forcibly seized by persons backed by leasing companies due to late payment of installments.
If there are vehicles whose leasing installments have not been paid, the leasing companies should inform the Police OIC of the concerned area and take necessary measures.
“If a company intends to seize a vehicle, they can inform the Police OIC of that area. The OIC will then provide several police officers. These police officers are provided to protect the law and order if there is any violent incident in the process. A few months ago in Kandy, some people who were attempting to seize a vehicle assaulted the driver, took a key suspected to be the car key and then seized the vehicle. We had to launch investigations against these people under the charges of robbery,” SSP Gunasekara further said.
At a press conference held yesterday (06), the Joint Association of Leasing and Debt Instalment Payers alleged that leasing companies still charge installments unfairly and seize their vehicles by force when installments are delayed.
One of the two persons injured in the Kandana shooting today (June 03) has succumbed.
The other victim – Mr. Sameera Manahara is currently receiving further treatment at Ragama Hospital. According to reports, his condition is not critical.
(Previous news 2025 July 03 – 11.03 am)
Pvt. secretary of late minister injured in shooting
A shooting incident has been reported in Kandana this morning (July 03).
Reportedly, two people traveling in a car were shot near the Kandana Public Market.
According to reports, Sameera Manahara, who served as the private secretary of late Minister Mangala Samaraweera, has been injured in the shooting.
The two injured individuals have been admitted to the Ragama Hospital, police say.
Investigations are underway to identify and apprehend the assailants.
Former Minister Mervyn Silva and two other individuals were granted bail today (July 03) by the Gampaha Provincial High Court.
They were released on a cash bail of Rs. 200,000 and five personal sureties of Rs. 5,000,000 each.
Additionally, the court imposed overseas travel bans on them.
The defendants were strictly warned to refrain from influencing witnesses and were ordered to report to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) every Sunday.The defendants were previously remanded over allegations of selling a state-owned land in the Kiribathgoda area using forged deeds.
Monara TV, launched with much fanfare just a year ago under the Swarnavahini media network, has reportedly shut down operations.
Employees have been informed that the closure is temporary, citing the need to resolve certain administrative issues.
The channel, led by Buddhika Wickramadhara, was ceremonially launched on June 25, 2024, with a grand event at Waters Edge.
Producers who supplied teledramas to Monara TV say they are owed nearly Rs.200 million in unpaid dues.
Meanwhile, it is reported that the parent Swarnavahini TV channel is also reportedly grappling with a serious financial crisis, paying teledrama producers only after 60 episodes are broadcast.
Producers claim they are compelled to wait about 03 months to recover an investment of around Rs.15 million per teledrama. Even then, payments are made in small portions, covering just 05 episodes at a time.
Producers who supplied teledramas before the appointment of Mr. Susara Dinal as CEO say it is even harder to claim their outstanding payments, as they have been asked to recover the dues from former CEO – Udara Wijesinghe.
The Swarnavahini Media Network is owned by Subaskaran Allirajah – Chairman of Lyca Group, which also owns Lycamobile, a global telecommunications company.
