State Minister Prasanna Ranaweera has lashed out at Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) General Secretary MP Sagara Kariyawasam yesterday (08) for removing him from the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) in Parliament. This incident took place at the end of the meeting of the ruling party members’ group chaired by Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena. “Why was I removed from the COPA?” the state minister asked the general secretary. MP Kariyawasam has replied,”Ask the Prime Minister.” “There is no need to create issues now. We need to protect the government. Don’t create political issues. Just tell me why I was removed,” State Minister Ranaweera has said angrily using profanities. MP Kariyawasam has informed the SLPP higher-ups that an investigation is necessary over the incident. It was reported that the State Minister is known to use profanities and scold others in this manner. Recently, he has publicly berated President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Western Province Governor Roshan Gunathilaka during a meeting of the Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha. Ranaweera has behaved in this way over a decision taken by the Governor in terms of using the tax collected by the Pradeshiya Sabha in a business owned by him to lay interlock bricks. The Governor has launched an investigation asking whether laying interlock bricks is essential at this moment.
The final report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks has been handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala has confirmed that Secretary to the President – Nandika Sanath Kumanayake handed over the report.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has launched an investigation into a photo circulating on social media, allegedly showing the sacred tooth relic during the ongoing special exposition – ‘Siri Dalada Vandanawa’ in Kandy.
According to Police Headquarters, the circulating image is seemingly an image taken by a devotee who attended the exposition, which is being held until April 27.
The police emphasises that devotees are not permitted to take photos or use their phones.
In this backdrop, the CID is investigating to ascertain whether the circulating photo was indeed taken during the ‘Siri Dalada Vandanawa’ exposition, and whether it was a photo captured by someone or whether it is merely an edited image.
The CID investigation has been launched on the instructions of the Acting Inspector General of Police.
A Brazilian national was arrested by the Narcotics Control Unit at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) early this (April 20) morning over attempting to smuggle nearly 05 kg of cocaine concealed in his suitcase.
The suspect is a 59-year-old Brazilian teacher and the seized cocaine (4kg and 855g) is valued around Rs. 240 million.