Deputy Minister of Labour Mahinda Jayasinghe has informed Parliament that a Criminal Investigations Department (CID) probe has been requested into land deals involving former First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa in Gampaha.
Addressing the Parliament today, Mahinda Jayasinghe said a request has been made from the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) in this regard.
The Deputy Minister said the lands in the Imbulgoda and Makola areas had been purchased in 2012 and sold in 2023.
He revealed in Parliament that a plot of land purchased in Ihala Imbulgoda in 2012 under the Mahinda Rajapaksa Spiritual Foundation for Rs. 500,000 has been sold for Rs. 10 million, adding that the owner of the land is one Shiranthi Wickramasinghe Rajapaksa of Carlton House Tangalle.
Mahinda Jayasinghe further said that another plot of land in Makola that was purchased for Rs. 01 million has been sold for Rs. 12 million, of which the owner was Shiranthi Wickramasinghe Rajapaksa of Carlton House Tangalle.
The Deputy Minister of Labour said inquiries into the land deals have revealed that the deeds had been drawn up and signed at the Temple Trees and had been transferred in 2023 to a person residing in Nugegoda.
Addressing recent media reports that he had forcibly entered lands belonging to Buddhist Temples and monks, Mahinda Jayasinghe Jayasinghe produced documents to claim that the lands belonged to ordinary citizens.
The Deputy Minister said that he had visited the lands to inquire about the ownership as issues had been raised by the original owners and area residents. (Newswire)
