Five former employees of a leading manufacturer of asbestos sheets were produced before Wattala Magistrate Rashantha Lankananda Godawela on Friday under the Intellectual Property Act for allegedly attempting to sell to an Indian entity copies of blueprint of a high-tech Swiss made asbestos sheet manufacturing plant.

In this case Rhino Roofing Products Ltd., the plaintiff has filed a private plaint against former employees Tharmaraja Thayalan, (General Manager), Kapila Jayantha (Engineer), Jerome Christopher Dennis Fernando (General Manager – Marketing) and Kasthuriratne Tennakoon Adikarige Don Hiran Sri Kantha Perera (Civil Engineer).

The plaint alleges that the suspects since leaving complainant entity have formed a new entity under the registration of The International Construction and Engineering Technology (Pvt) Ltd. The suspects had attempted to illegally sell blueprints of the Asbestos sheet making plant manufactured by F.C.M. Bell valued Rs. 11 million to an Indian company which is a competitor of the complainant.

When the case was taken up, the Court was informed that the respondents’ offer for a settlement was rejected by Attorney at Law Neville Abeyrante appearing for the aggrieved party.

Investigative Officer Wijesuriya of the CID, appearing for prosecution submitted that the Government Analysts report has not being received and pleaded for a date to submit several ancillary reports.