By Madura Ranwala
A top Customs officer was trapped in the bribery net yesterday. Sleuths from the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption (CIAOBC) yesterday morning arrested Director and Head of the Customs Preventive Division (CPD), Ranjan Canagasabai, while he was allegedly accepting a bribe of one million rupees from a businessman to clear a container.
The spokesman for the CIAOBC told The Island that the arrest had been made at the suspect’s office in Colombo around 11.30 a.m.
He said that the director had demanded five million rupees from a vehicle spare parts importer of Thibirigaskatuwa in Negombo to clear his container of vehicle spare parts. But, the suspect director had later agreed to accept two million rupees for the favour.
The CIABOC spokesman said that the arrest had been made when the businessman was handing over a part of the bribe to the suspect.
Asked whether the vehicle spare parts importer had had long running deals with the said director, the spokesman said that the investigation were being conducted to ascertain whether he had done so.
The Customs officer would be produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate soon after the investigations, the spokesman said.
The CIAOBC had received the complaint on Dec. 31.
