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Committee exposes fraud

by Sarath Malalasekera

The official Committee examining the purchase of arms for the Security Forces has found numerous incidents of fraud running into millions of rupees.

Defence Minister Tilak Marapana appointed this committee to inquire into the corruption and malpractice in purchasing arms and other items for the forces over the past six years.

The same committee is conducting three separate investigations into purchases carried out by the Army, Navy and Air Force.

A senior officer of the Committee told the Daily News yesterday that in majority of the purchases no tender procedure had been followed, and in some cases no approval had been obtained from the cabinet of ministers.

'We have a great suspicion that a number of malpractice had taken place,' the Committee member said. He added that although a colossal amount of money had been spent on the weapons, much of the weaponry was not fit to be used in the war.

Several important documents relating to the arms deal are now with the Committee. They are perusing those documents to ascertain who the individuals involved in the irregularities are.

This high-powered team is due to submit an interim report to Minister Marapana in the next few days.

The Committee inquiring into the arms deal by the Navy will also submit a separate interim report to the Minister Marapana.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) will be called into investigate all the malpractice and corruption mentioned in the report, Minister Marapana said.

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