Former Minister Johnston Fernando was arrested today by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for his alleged involvement in using an illegally assembled luxury vehicle. The arrest followed his appearance at the CID to provide a statement regarding the ongoing investigation.
The investigation centers around a BMW that was recently seized by authorities while parked at a high-end hotel in Colombo. The vehicle, linked to Fernando, has raised concerns about its legal status and registration.
Authorities began probing the case after receiving a tip-off about a suspicious black BMW with the license plate WP C 24-0430, parked at the hotel. The car was reportedly left by an individual named Gamini Abeyratne, who claimed it belonged to Fernando and that it would be collected later.
During investigations, several documents belonging to Johnston Fernando were found inside the car, but there were no registration documents for the vehicle itself. Further cross-referencing with the Motor Traffic Department revealed that the license plate had been registered under a private firm in Nawala. The company owner disclosed that the plate had been stolen earlier this year while parked at a radio station.
In addition, the BMW’s chassis number, WBA5E52010G115194, was inspected by Sri Lanka Customs, which revealed that no such vehicle had been legally imported into the country. Following a detailed analysis by the Government Analysts Department, it was confirmed that the car had been illegally assembled.