Colombo Chief Magistrate Prasanna Alwis has ordered the remand of a suspect linked to a fraudulent scheme involving the misappropriation of 4.2 million rupees from 14 job seekers who were promised positions within the Ministry of Public Administration. The suspect, identified as Hasitha Dhammika, a resident of Ganemulla, was apprehended by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

The CID informed the court that Dhammika allegedly forged letterheads of the Ministry of Public Administration and sent letters to the job seekers in December 2021, falsely offering them employment opportunities within the ministry. The scam came to light when the victims presented the forged letters at the ministry, only to discover that they were duped.

According to the CID, the suspect orchestrated the scheme by soliciting money from the job candidates through an intermediary, subsequently depositing the funds into his own account. The investigation was initiated following a complaint lodged by the Ministry's Secretary to the CID.

During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Dhammika's arrest was made possible through diligent investigative work based on the ministry's complaint. The CID has pledged to conduct further inquiries into the matter, including obtaining statements from individuals implicated in facilitating the fraudulent transactions.

In light of the severity of the allegations and pending further investigation, Chief Magistrate Prasanna Alwis has ordered Dhammika to be remanded in custody until February 13, 2024.