Namal files defamation claim against FCID for Rs. 200 m

Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa yesterday filed two defamation law suits in Colombo District Courts against two officials of the Police Financial Crimes Investigation Unit (FCID) for allegedly causing damage to his reputation through the arrest over investigation related to the Indian owned Krrish Group.

Rajapaksa claims that he was arrested by the FCID over a baseless complaint made by the Convener of the Anti-Corruption Front Wasantha Samarasinghe, regarding misappropriation of Rs. 70 million rupees given by the Indian Group Krrish. He has named Chief Inspector R.A.K. Ranawaka and Sup Inspector Shantha Lal of FCID as defendants with a claim of Rs. 200 million as compensation.

According to the lawsuit the officers named misled the Court by submitting false allegations to remand him, causing damage to his reputation.

On 11 July, MP Namal Rajapaksa was arrested by the FCID in connection with the investigation on alleged misappropriation of funds given by the Indian Real Estate Company Krish Lanka Ltd, for the development of the sport of rugby in Sri Lanka, and was released on bail by the Colombo Fort Magistrate on 18 July.

Indian real estate company ‘Krrish Group’ signed an agreement with the Rajapaksa administration to develop a million dollar real estate venture in capital Colombo. However the proposed Krrish Square mixed development project with four high-rises containing a luxury hotel, apartments, malls, was marred by controversy from its inception for allegedly paying off key individuals in the Rajapaksa administration to secure the deal and related approvals for the project.