(LANKAPUVATH | COLOMBO) –The Minister of Transport, Highways and Mass Media, Dr. Bandula Gunawardena has said that the investigations into passengers being transported by Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) buses using fraudulently printed tickets have been directed to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
The officers of SLTB flying squad on Saturday (10) caught a SLTB bus transporting 34 passengers on the Southern Expressway from Matara to Makumbura using fraudulently printed tickets.
The Minister also said that it has been revealed that 34 fraudulently printed tickets worth 1,200 rupees each were issued and 40,800 rupees were thus defrauded.
The Minister also mentioned that as soon as the SLTB Chairman informed him of this incident, the Criminal Investigation Department was directed to take further steps against the employees involved, the printing press that printed the fake tickets, and its designer, under the charge of misappropriation of public property.
Also, yesterday (11) a case of taking six passengers without tickets in a SLTB bus running on the expressway from Galle to Makumbura was detected by the SLTB raid unit.
The Minister said that he had ordered SLTB Chairman Mr. Lalith De Alvis to hand over the further investigations to the Criminal Investigation Department in that regard.
According to Minister of Transport corruption and fraud are the reason for SLTB incurring losses and until the digital e-ticketing system is introduced, raids will be increased to reduce these frauds and the culprits will be caught.
The Minister said he ordered the SLTB Chairman to hand over all those investigations to the Criminal Investigation Department.
Meanwhile SLTB Chairman Lalith De Alwis said that the Sri Lanka Transport Board is losing an income of between 60-70 million per month due to various malpractices including the issuance of fake tickets in this manner.
The Sri Lanka Transport Board has also started an internal investigation regarding another bus that ran on the highway from Galle to Makumbura and took 6 passengers without issuing tickets.
A few days ago, investigations have also been started regarding a case of non-issue of tickets in a bus traveling to Kurunegala.
Also the Sri Lanka Transport Board has also taken steps to conduct raids across the country.
