The Criminal Investigation Department has taken all procurement files related to the coal investigation into custody and has begun evaluating them, the agency announced Saturday. Statements have also been recorded from every official who held custody of the documents.
The examination of electronic data relating to coal procurement is now underway, the CID said, marking a shift in the probe from paper records to digital forensics. The scope potentially covers email records, accounting software, procurement systems and correspondence held by officials and contractors implicated in the import chain.
The head office of the Lanka Coal Company at Kohuwala was sealed on April 11 after Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake filed a formal complaint requesting an investigation into coal imports dating back to 2009. Four police officers and two CID officers continue to provide 24-hour security at the sealed premises.
The procurement probe runs in parallel with the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into coal imports, which began operating last week under Supreme Court Justice Kulatunga. The commission’s remit covers all coal imports since inception through April 16, 2026 — a broader time frame than earlier parliamentary inquiries.
The CID investigation follows months of political pressure from the Joint Opposition and SJB over alleged procedural irregularities, pricing and quality issues in Lakvijaya coal shipments. Former Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody and his ministry secretary resigned on April 17 as the PCOI and CID probes intensified. The cumulative pressure from the commission and CID has created the most significant accountability test the NPP government has faced since taking office.
