Kataragama Devalaya’s Basnayake Nilame leaves CID

Dishan Gunasekara, the ‘Basnayake Nilame’ of the Ruhunu Kataragama Devalaya, has left the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) premises after providing a statement for nearly three hours, Ada Derana reporter said.

Gunasekara arrived at the CID this morning as per a recent summon issued by the CID for him to appear before the department to provide a statement.

Speaking to the media, he revealed that he was summoned to inquire about a house built by Ven. Kiri Vehere Soratha Thero in Kataragama during the tenure of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

“There is a house in Kataragama that was constructed during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s presidency by Ven. Soratha Thero of Kiri Vehera. I have no allegations to make—I know the exact details. The house was funded by Soratha Thero and built by a gentleman named Wimalaratne. At the time, following the end of the war, such houses were built for the former President, with huts also constructed for him in various temples,” he stated.