1,000 T56 guns given to paramilitary group CID to arrest rebel turned politico

Police Lights

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has uncovered information regarding a large number of T56 rifles and pistols given to a paramilitary group by the previous government.

CID sources said, a former paramilitary leader who later took to politics has come under CID investigation and surveillance after details of this huge weapons transfer had surfaced.

Top officials of the former regime had authorized the transfer of nearly 1,000 T56 rifles in addition to pistols to this paramilitary group, the source added.

The CID has commenced investigations to ascertain for what these weapons were used by the paramilitary group and why they were given to them.

Investigations will also verify whetherthese weapons were used in the crime spree that prevailed during the tenure of the previous administration. They will also probe the likelihood of the underworld gaining access to these weapons.

The CID is also looking into the reason why these weapons were not confiscated after the conclusion of the civil war in May 2009 with the defeat of the LTTE terrorist organization.

This information was revealed during CID investigations into the alleged disappearance and murder of journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda who went missing in January 2010.

(Source: Ceylon Today)