Sri Lanka Transport Board flying squad officers on Saturday nabbed a SLTB bus carrying 34 passengers on the Southern Expressway from Matara to Makumbura with fake tickets.
Transport, Highways and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana told the Daily News that investigations into the incident was handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department.
The minister also said that it was revealed 34 fraudulently printed tickets worth Rs.1,200 each had been issued and the total sum defrauded was Rs.40,800.
The Minister said that as soon as the SLTB Chairman informed him of this incident, investigations had begun.
The Minister further said, the Criminal Investigation Department will take action against the SLTB employees involved, the owners of the printing shop and the person who designed the ticket under charges related to misappropriation of state property.
Also, yesterday (11) an SLTB flying squad detected a case of taking six passengers in a SLTB bus running on the expressway from Galle to Makumbara without tickets. The Minister said he instructed the SLTB Chairman Lalith de Alwis to hand over further investigations in this regard to the CID as well.
The Minister said the reason for the losses in SLTB was mainly due to such corruption and fraud and added until the digital e-ticketing system is introduced, raids will be increased to reduce these frauds.
The Minister said he instructed the SLTB Chairman to hand over all such investigations to the Criminal Investigation Department. SLTB Chairman Lalith de Alwis meanwhile said, said that the Sri Lanka Transport Board loses an income of Rs.60 to 70 million per month due to various frauds including the issuance of fake tickets.
The Sri Lanka Transport Board has also started an internal investigation regarding another bus running on the expressway from Galle to Makumbura carrying 6 passengers without issuing tickets.
Investigations have also been begun regarding a case of non-issuance of tickets in a bus travelling to Kurunegala a few days ago. The SLTB has also taken steps to conduct raids across the country.