The owner of the building that collapsed at Buwelikada, Anura Lewke, who was arrested by police today, has been remanded until October 13 by the Kandy Magistrate’s Court.

He had been arrested by Kandy Police this morning (29) on criminal charges following investigations carried out into the incident and produced before the court, a short while ago.

He has been charged for causing deaths of three people and property damage due to negligent construction.

A five-story building on the Sanghamitta Mawatha in Buwelikada, Kandy collapsed onto a nearby house on September 20, and a family of three – father, mother, and one and half month old infant – were killed in the incident.

The owner of the collapsed building, former Basnayake Nilame of Dodanwala Natha Dewalaya Anura Lewke, had claimed that the building was built up to proper standards with necessary approval.

However, police revealed today that the owner had constructed a five-story building despite approval being granted only for a three-story building. Investigations have revealed that the foundation of the building had not been suitable to bear the weight of a five-story construction.

Prior to filing a case against the suspect, the police had obtained reports from several institutions including the Kandy Municipal Council, Urban Development Authority, National Building Research Organization, and Geological Survey and Mines Bureau, with regard to the collapsed building.