Aluthgamage demands Rs.500 m compensation from Ramanayake

MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage (third from left) speaking at the media briefing. Former Parliamentarian  A.H.M. Azwer (left), MP Piyal Nishantha (Second from left) and ex-Minister Tissa Vitharana (right) are also present-Pic by Isanka Sunimal

By Chamodi Gunawardana

Following fisticuffs with Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake in Parliament, Joint Opposition MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage yeterday sent a letter of demand to Ramanayake and MP Ananda Aluthgamage demanding Rs. 500 million over an alleged defamatory remark.

On Tuesday Ramanayake charged Aluthgamage was using a Defender jeep with a false number plate and it was hidden in Madiwela. Aluthgamage denied the charge and an exchange of words in the Parliament lobby resulted in an exchange of blows, according to reports.

Rejecting the allegation Aluthgamage told reporters he did not own a Defender jeep. 

“Ramanayake always wanted to be a hero before media. He is doing a show, like in his movies, to get attention from people,” he charged. Aluthgamage alleged Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was behind Ramanayake’s moves. 

“When I was appointed again to the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) Ramanayake came forward to question my appointment. He did it under the guidance of Wickremesinghe,” he alleged. 

Slamming Ramanayake further, Aluthgamage claimed Ramanayake should be prepared to go to prison if he is found guilty over the petition lodged by several senior lawyers against him at the Supreme Court.

“In a radio interview Ramanayake has insulted judges and lawyers by charging they were supporting drug dealers to win court cases. This led to a group of lawyers submitting a petition in the High Court seeking two years imprisonment for Ramanayake,” he alleged.  

Meanwhile, during the heated argument between Ramanayake and Aluthgamage, Ramanayake had said he obtained the Defender scam details from Aluthgamage’s brother Ananda Aluthgamage. Therefore Aluthgamage had sent a letter of demand to his brother as well.