The police Financial Crimes Investigations Division (FCID) has last week raided a company operated by former First Brat and United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa as part of a probe being carried out under the Money Laundering Act.
The FCID is carrying out a probe covering the operations of six companies operated by Rajapaksa – Hello Corp Pvt Ltd, Gowers Corporate Services Pvt Ltd, Gowers Solutions, Gowers Secretariat, Gowers Ceylon Holdings and NR Consultancy.
FCID officers had commenced a probe on Gowers Corporate Services Pvt Ltd on Friday and is to continue investigating the other companies as well.
The FCID probe is expected to uncover the sources of funding for these companies and its earnings as well as how the monies were utilised.
Gowers Corporate Services Pvt Ltd, which was floated with the sale of 100 Rs. 10 shares, had purchased Hello Corp Pvt Ltd for a sum of Rs. 100 million even before completing a year in operation, FCID sources said. Despite claims that the monies were raised through loans and by the sale of NR Consultancy to a Bangladeshi national for Rs. 50 million, the FCID is yet to find proper evidence that could prove this fact. In fact, Gowers Corporate Services Pvt Ltd has recorded an earning of Rs. 81 million in the 2013/2014 financial year.
MP Namal Rajapaksa has already been questioned by the FCID over the investigation into the six companies.
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