Public security Minister Rear Admiral (Retd) Sarath Weerasekara today (29) instructed the IGP to investigate the CID as to why they carried out inquiries on journalists who reported Lanka Sathosa garlic scam, despite being instructed not to do so.
He made this remark in a media release. Weerasekara also said that the investigations into the garlic scam was handed over to the CID from Peliyagoda Special Crimes Investigation Division.
A team of CID had visited Wijeya Newspapers premises yesterday (29) to question the Chief Editor of Lankadeepa and several journalists who reported the garlic scam. When the Chief Editor refused to respond the inquiries the CID officers had let the newspaper premises.
The CID visited the newspaper premises even after Mass Media Minister Dullas Alahapperuma’s promise that journalists would not be questioned on the matter. Alahapperuma who apologised on behalf of the government regarding the CID summoning journalists, said that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa instructed them not to question journalists.
The CID had commenced an investigation following a complaint lodged by Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena over statements of a former Consumer Affairs Authority board member Thushan Gunawardena regarding the garlic scam to the media.
