Cabinet Spokesman Bandula today (03 Jan.) addressed concerns raised regarding the abilities of Sri Lanka’s Intelligence Units, pertaining to the recent escape of underworld kingpin Mohamed Najim Mohamed Imran, alias ‘Kanjipani Imran’. 

Responding to a question raised by a journalist at this morning’s (03 Jan.) Cabinet briefing as to whether Kanjipani Imran’s reported escape to Tamil Nadu was due to the incompetence of the CID, Gunawardena stated that questions pertaining to how the relevant Intelligence Units remained unknown of the underworld figure’s escape is a question that should be asked from them. 

Although the competence of Sri Lanka’s Intelligence Agencies have been questioned often in a rather generic context, Gunawardena further reiterated that the Cabinet has not discussed the matter, as they have no knowledge on this, adding that the State Minister of Defence would be able to provide a statement in this regard.

 ’Kanjipani’ Imran sneaked into Rameswaram days after his release on bail by a court in Sri Lanka, The Hindu reported on 01 January 2023, quoting police sources.

The Tamil Nadu intelligence has sounded an alert to senior police officers across the State to mount vigil along the coastal districts and look for him and his associate who landed along the Ramanathapuram district coast on December 25, 2022.

Imran, wanted by the Sri Lankan authorities for various offences, including murders and criminal intimidation, was arrested in Dubai in 2019 and deported to the Island Nation. He was in judicial custody till a local court granted him bail on payment of two sureties, each 5 million local currencies.