The head of custodians of the Kataragama Devalaya Somipala T.Rathnayake who was arrested in connection with the disappearance of a bowl made from gold, from the custody of the Devalaya, was released on bail with two sureties of Rs.500,000 after being produced before Tissamaharama Magistrate Tharindu Silva yesterday. This gold plate weighing 38 pounds had been offered to the Devalaya by Angoda Lokka an underworld gangster seeking divine intervention to dispel the misfortune that has befallen on his child. The Colombo Crime Division arrested the Chief custodian of the Devalaya after the latter surrendered to the Division yesterday morning. After recording a lengthy statement from him, the accused was produced before Tissamaharama Magistrate yesterday evening.
The Tissamaharama Magistrate also ordered the accused to appear before the CCD every last Sunday of the month. This plate had been offered to the Devalaya on July 03, 2019 and it has been placed at the storage of the Devalaya. Investigations into the disappearance of the Gold plate from the custody of the Devalaya started based on the information received to the Basnayake Nilame of the Devalaya Dishan Wickremaratne.
It has been divulged during the investigations that Somipala Rathnayake was the chief Kapuwa of the Devalaya while his grandson Saman Priyantha was in charge of the storage.
The investigation into the incident was handed over to the Colombo Crime Division under the supervision of Present Acting IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon, on the instruction of former IGP C.D. Wickremaratne. The Attorney General had also informed the CCD in writing to arrest Somapala Rathnayake and his grand son Saman Priyantha alias Chuty Kapurala in connection with this incident
