Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera today announced that he would be taking legal action against the news desks of two privately owned television channels, Derana and Hiru TV, and against Buddhist priest Thiniyawala Palitha Thero.
The Minister said in a tweet that he seeks Rs. 1,000 million each from the three parties for levelling what he called “wild and unsubstantiated allegations” against him.
Palitha Thero serves on the Board of Directors at Lanka Hospitals and, according to the company’s website last updated in 2016, served as an advisor to the then Finance Minister.
Dilith Jayaweera is the Chairman of TV Derana, which is managed by Derana Macro Entertainment (Pvt) Ltd., a subsidiary of Power House Ltd, of which Jayaweera is a majority shareholder along with Varuni Amunugama Fernando. Rayynor Silva, meanwhile, owns the holding company Rayynor Silva Holdings (Pvt) Ltd which in turn owns Asia Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) (Pvt) Ltd. of which Hiru TV is a brand.
(Republic Next)