News Today: Court extends remand of Prasanna Ranaweera in forged land deeds case

In a significant development, the Chief Magistrate of Mahara No. 01 Court, Janitha Perera, yesterday ordered the further remand of three suspects, including former State Minister Prasanna Ranaweera, in connection with the preparation of forged land deeds worth approximately Rs. 20 million. The land in question had been acquired by the government for construction work in the Kiribathgoda town area.

The three suspects who were ordered to remain in custody until September 8 are:

• Former State Minister Prasanna Ranaweera

• Former Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha member Milroy Perera

• Former Minister Mervyn Silva’s ex-Parliamentary Affairs Secretary, Don Sarath Kumara Edirisinghe, widely known as ‘Singapore Sarath’

Of the three, Ranaweera and Perera were not physically present in court but appeared virtually via Skype. The Magistrate instructed that they be officially informed of the order through the prison authorities.

Meanwhile, the third suspect, Edirisinghe, alias Singapore Sarath, was produced before the Court to provide signatures on four cheques related to his ongoing business transactions. The Magistrate granted permission for the cheques to be signed in the presence of prison officials, ensuring proper legal compliance.

The case also previously involved several other political figures. Former Minister Mervyn Silva, former Deputy Chairman of the Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha Dr. Jayantha Sinhabahu Cabraal, and Navin Weerakoon, who were initially remanded, have since been granted bail by the High Court and released.

During the hearing, the investigating officer from the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) presented his statement, detailing the ongoing investigation into the land deed forgery.

This case continues to draw public attention due to the involvement of high-profile political figures and the serious nature of financial crimes linked to land ownership and documentation fraud.