Recovery of Rs 75 million :

Recovery of Rs 75 million :
Asoka Tilakaratne granted bail
*Passport impounded
*Asked to appear before CID weekly
Sarath MALALASEKERA
Mount Lavinia Chief Magistrate and Additional District Judge Harsha Setunga yesterday granted bail in a Rs.20 million bond with four sureties to Asoka Tilakaratne, mother of Danuna Tilakaratne, son-in-law of General Sarath Fonseka, when she was produced before court by the Criminal Investigation Department.
The CID produced Asoka Tilakaratne yesterday after recording her statement in connection with the recovery of Rs.75 million consisting of several foreign currencies found in a vault belonging to Asoka Tilakaratne at a private bank in Colombo.
The Judge directed her to appear at the CID office every Sunday at 12 noon. The Judge also ordered her to surrender her passport to court.
On an application by the CID, the Judge directed the Manager of the private bank to assist the CID in their ongoing investigations by providing required information.
Inspector Mohan Masimbula who appeared for the CID filing a report in court objected to the suspect being released on bail and said that if she was released on bail she would interfere with the prosecution witnesses.
The CID is conducting investigations into the money recovered vaults under the Exchange Control Act and whether this money had been used for any Terrorist activity.
Answering the Judge, Inspector Masimbula said the money recovered from the four vaults, amounting to Rs.75 million including US Dollars 527,000, Sterling Pounds 100 and cash Rs.15 million, is being kept in the same vault at the bank.
The CID said that they are investigating in connection with several forged documents relevant to the money found in four vaults. According to the investigations the money recovered from the four vaults is the balance of the money used for the election campaign for General Sarath Fonseka.
Senior Attorney-at-Law Asela Rekawa counsel for Asoka Tilakaratne moving for bail submitted that his client is a diabetic patient and she needs special care for her sickness.
Defence Counsel said his client had assisted the investigations and had given all the necessary information to the CID team who is conducting investigations.
Attorneys Asela Rekawa with Athula Ranagala, Ravi Mathugama, Uditha Abeyratne, Ranjith Dhanayake, Prasanna Weerasekera, Ajith Perera, Tharanga Silva and Sandun Gamage appeared for Asoka Tilakaratne