The Colombo Magistrate's Court has ordered Fairfirst Insurance to suspend payments on life insurance policies belonging to business executive Dinesh Schaffter, whose death is currently under investigation as a murder case. The total sum assured in these policies amounts to a substantial LKR 294.8 million. Additionally, policies held with Jardine Lloyd Thompson of Singapore are also under scrutiny.

The decision to suspend the insurance payouts came in response to a request by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to temporarily halt disbursements on Schaffter's life insurance policies from two private companies in Sri Lanka. The move is intended to facilitate an inquiry into whether the deceased had named a third party as the beneficiary of these insurance policies.

The circumstances surrounding the death of Dinesh Schaffter, a director of the Janashakti Group, have raised suspicions, as it has been classified as a crime involving pressure on the neck and face. In light of the findings, the magistrate has ruled that this incident qualifies as a crime, and as a result, the Director of the Criminal Investigation Department has been instructed to apprehend the suspects involved and bring them to court.

This development marks a crucial step in the investigation into the tragic death of Dinesh Schaffter, as authorities aim to ensure a thorough examination of the circumstances surrounding his demise. The suspension of insurance payouts will provide an opportunity to ascertain the intended beneficiaries and gather critical information in the ongoing murder investigation.