Bathiudeen owns Rs 240 million island in Mannar. SB wants Bathiudeen's assets probed

Colombo (News 1st): UPFA MP S.B.Dissanayake says the President and the Prime Minister are in possession of sufficient information to take a decision on Minister Rishard Bathiudeen. He believes it is time the Criminal Investigations Department and the Bribery Commission launch immediate investigations on Bathiudeen's assets, deals and crimes. He adds businessman Rishard Alahudeen serving as the treasurer for the minister's party cannot be taken lightly; noting thousands of kilograms of copper was issued to the Wellampitiya copper factory by Rishard Bathiudeen's ministry. Dissanayake said one of Bathiudeen's brothers was involved in the copper business and earned a lot out of it. Commenting on reports which claim the Turkish Ambassador had provided details of terror group members in Sri Lanka, the MP said it was finally clear that Rishard Bathiudeen was protecting those responsible. Parliamentarian Dissanayake went onto note that allegations have been levelled against him noting that he had bought a 3550 acre land in Mannar. However, the minister denies these allegations. He said the land was purchased by attacking and chasing away some individuals who were living on this land and it was pointed that there are about 40 land deeds and they have been bought by individuals connected to Rishard Bathiudeen. He added that it was revealed in an investigation that the individuals who bought the lands were Rishard's mother, his aunts, his younger brother, brother's wife, his wife's siblings, his driver and his driver's wife. He claims that the entire island was bought by Rishard Bathiudeen and according to the land deeds, the value of this island amounts to Rs. 240 million. MP Dissanayake notes that according to the residents of this island Minister Rishard Bathiudeen has spent over Rs 1500 million to buy that entire Island and they also claim that he has a huge plot of land in Kerala and in Colombo. He added that the land in Colombo has been bought under the name of his close friend Rifkan who died from a snake bite. The parliamentarian strongly believes that the CID, Bribery Commission, President and Prime Minister need to take a decision on Minister Rishard Bathiudeen.