Specialist investigators are examining the Department of Motor Traffic’s computer systems amid allegations that registration records were manipulated to legitimise illegally assembled vehicles.
The Walana Anti-Corruption Unit has intensified its investigation into suspected irregularities within Sri Lanka’s Department of Motor Traffic (DMT), with specialist teams examining digital records amid reports that data may have been deliberately deleted to conceal fraudulent vehicle registrations.
The investigation centres on allegations that illegally imported or assembled vehicles were entered into the department’s registration system using falsified documents and altered records.
Preliminary examinations conducted on 29 and 30 October reportedly identified suspected deletions from the department’s computer systems.
Investigators are now seeking to determine whether the missing information can be recovered and whether any alterations were connected to unlawful vehicle registration activities.
A further phase of digital forensic examinations is scheduled for 2 and 3 November.
Investigators Examine Department’s Database
The Walana unit is conducting the investigation with technical assistance from specialists in computer systems, cybersecurity and digital forensics.
The operation follows reports of irregularities involving vehicle registrations, ownership transfers and alterations to official records.
According to the supplied account, investigators have secured access to the department’s vehicle registration database and restricted access to the relevant server facilities to preserve potential evidence.
The investigative team is expected to examine the history of database transactions, including records that may have been modified or removed.
Recovering deleted data could help establish whether unauthorised changes occurred, when they were made and which system accounts were involved.
However, the existence of deleted records would not, by itself, establish that a criminal offence occurred. Investigators must determine the circumstances and purpose of any deletions.
Bandaragama Vehicle Seizures Form Part of Investigation
The inquiry has been linked in the supplied account to an earlier investigation involving two vehicles seized in Bandaragama.
On 28 June 2025, officers from the Walana unit seized a Mitsubishi Montero and a Caravan-type van reportedly valued together at more than Rs. 30 million.
The vehicles were located at separate premises in the Bandaragama area.
A man described as an associate of a former influential politician from the Kalutara District was subsequently arrested in connection with the investigation on 7 July 2025, according to the account.
He reportedly told investigators that he had purchased the van for Rs. 500,000 and the Montero for Rs. 11 million from an individual in the Gampaha area.
The account further states that the alleged seller was subsequently described as deceased.
Those statements remain matters for investigators to verify.
Suspected Manipulation of Registration Numbers
Investigators reportedly discovered discrepancies involving the registration details of the seized vehicles.
In the case of the Mitsubishi Montero, the investigation is said to have raised suspicions that existing information in the DMT computer system had been altered to accommodate another registration number.
The Caravan van allegedly displayed a number associated with another vehicle legitimately owned by a retired member of the military residing in the Millaniya area.
These discrepancies have prompted questions about whether official vehicle records were manipulated to create apparently legitimate identities for vehicles whose origins or assembly histories were irregular.
Investigators are examining whether any department employees facilitated such changes.
The involvement of particular officials, and the extent of any coordinated scheme, have yet to be established through the judicial process.
Specialist Forensic Team Assists Police
The investigation is being conducted under judicial authority associated with the Panadura Magistrate’s Court, according to reports.
The Walana Anti-Corruption Unit is receiving assistance from specialists representing several institutions, including:
- University of Colombo School of Computing
- Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (Sri Lanka CERT)
- Sri Lanka Telecom
- GovTech Sri Lanka
Chief Inspector Mahendra Perera is among the Walana officers involved in the investigation.
A wider investigative operation is being led by senior officers of the unit.
The involvement of external specialists is intended to support the extraction, preservation and technical examination of digital records that may be relevant to the inquiry.
Questions Over the Integrity of Vehicle Records
The investigation raises broader concerns about the integrity of vehicle registration records and the safeguards designed to prevent unauthorised changes to government databases.
Vehicle registration information is essential for establishing lawful ownership, tracing vehicles, verifying their identities and supporting police investigations.
If official records have been altered to legitimise unlawfully assembled or imported vehicles, the implications could extend beyond the individual vehicles currently under investigation.
Determining the scale of any manipulation will require a detailed examination of system records and supporting documents.
Forensic findings may also help establish whether the suspected irregularities involved isolated transactions or a wider pattern of abuse.
The Walana investigation remains ongoing. No final findings have been announced establishing the responsibility of particular DMT employees for the alleged deletion or manipulation of records.
The results of the forensic examination and any subsequent court proceedings will be central to determining what occurred.
