Update : Managing Director of the local agent of the X-Press Feeders that owns the X-Press Pearl, who was arrested earlier today, has been released on a Rs.100,000 cash bail and two surety bails amounting to Rs.1 million each.
Chairman of the local agency of the MV X-Press Pearl ship Arjuna Hettiarachchi has been arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).
Hettirachchi had appeared before the CID this morning to record a statement with regard to the disaster that had occurred as a result of the fire that broke out on the vessel.
The Attorney General (AG) had issued instructions yesterday to arrest the local agent of the MV X-Press Pearl vessel which caught fire off the coast of Colombo.
The AG instructed the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to arrest the suspect and produce him in court.
Earlier, the CID had recorded statements from the Captain, and Chief and Deputy Engineers of the vessel, while they were prevented from leaving Sri Lanka by the court.
The Captain of the vessel who was arrested on Monday (14) and was later released on a personal bail of Rs. 02 million and the court had also imposed a travel ban on him.
The CID has recorded 33 statements thus far with regard to the disaster that occurred due to a fire on the ship.
The Police said more statements will be recorded from the local agent and related officers in this regard. (NewsWire)