Former State Minister Sujeewa Senasinghe has taken back possession of his Toyota Land Cruiser V8 following an initial inspection by the government analyst as part of a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probe into possible illegal reassembly of the vehicle.

Senasinghe, accompanied by police, was directed to bring the SUV to the government analyst on Friday after a tip-off to the Walana Anti-Corruption Task Force raised suspicions about the vehicle’s assembly status. Officials suspect the Land Cruiser may have been reassembled.

Attorney-at-Law Maithri Gunaratne, representing Senasinghe, told the court the vehicle was legally imported and registered, denying any illegal reassembly. Gunaratne also voiced concerns about potential pressure on the investigation, but Assistant Superintendent of Police Mihindu Abeysinghe stated there had been no external interference.

The CID is expected to update the court once the government examiner’s report on the vehicle’s condition is submitted.