The Supreme Court today issued a rule for the removal of a lawyer from the position of the Attorney-at-Law after he was found guilty of forgery in attesting a deed.
The Registrar of the Kandy High Court in terms of section 42(4) of the Judicature Act had communicated to the registrar of the Supreme Court alleging that attorney-at-law Mahinda Ratnayake was sentenced by the High Court having found him guilty of four counts on which he stood indicted. A fine of five hundred rupees had been imposed on one count and he had been sentenced to a term of one-year rigorous imprisonment for three counts.
It was alleged that the respondent attorney-at-law fraudulently conspired to attest a deed in 1999, and made a false statement in attesting the said deed. It was further alleged that the respondent had acted in breach of the rules set out in section 31 of the Notaries Ordinance. Thereby, he had conducted in a manner which would reasonably be regarded as disgraceful by attorneys-at-law of good repute and competency as well as in a manner which is regarded as deplorable by fellow members of the profession. The rule had been issued for breaching Rule 60 of the Supreme Court (Conduct and Etiquette for Attorneys-at-Law) Rules, 1988 as well as Rule 61 of the said Rules as he had conducted in such a manner that is unworthy of an attorney-at-law.
During the Supreme Court inquiry, the respondent had pleaded guilty to the charges by way of an affidavit.
Supreme Court three-judge-bench comprising Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, Justice S. Thurairaja and Mahinda Samayawardana held that the rule made against the respondent is made absolute. Accordingly, the Supreme Court issued a rule ordering the respondent lawyer’s name to be struck off the Roll of Attorney-at-Law.
Monara TV, launched with much fanfare just a year ago under the Swarnavahini media network, has reportedly shut down operations.
Employees have been informed that the closure is temporary, citing the need to resolve certain administrative issues.
The channel, led by Buddhika Wickramadhara, was ceremonially launched on June 25, 2024, with a grand event at Waters Edge.
Producers who supplied teledramas to Monara TV say they are owed nearly Rs.200 million in unpaid dues.
Meanwhile, it is reported that the parent Swarnavahini TV channel is also reportedly grappling with a serious financial crisis, paying teledrama producers only after 60 episodes are broadcast.
Producers claim they are compelled to wait about 03 months to recover an investment of around Rs.15 million per teledrama. Even then, payments are made in small portions, covering just 05 episodes at a time.
Producers who supplied teledramas before the appointment of Mr. Susara Dinal as CEO say it is even harder to claim their outstanding payments, as they have been asked to recover the dues from former CEO – Udara Wijesinghe.
The Swarnavahini Media Network is owned by Subaskaran Allirajah – Chairman of Lyca Group, which also owns Lycamobile, a global telecommunications company.
A young woman was found in the Dewipahala-Dodam Ella area in Kuruwita, after being brutally attacked and her gold necklace stolen
According to the police, the victim was found collapsed on the roadside with severe neck injuries caused by a sharp weapon. She was rushed to the Ratnapura Hospital but succumbed to her injuries shortly after admission.
The victim has been identified as a 26-year-old.
Arrests are yet to be made and an investigation is underway.
