Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake has sent a letter of demand to former Minister of Education Bandula Gunawardena, seeking Rs 2 billion in damage over alleged defamatory statements made against him during a recent TV progarmme.

During the programme, Gunawardena alleged that former Galleon Group hedge fund chief executive and founder Raj Rajaratnam of sending some 3 million dollars to Ravi Karunanayake’s bank account.

“I have been instructed by my client to state that the statement made by you at the said programme to the effect that 3 million dollars came from Raj Rajaratnam of USA to my client Ravi Karunanayake’s account is an absolutely false statement and same has been willfully and deliberately concocted by you with the specific intention to defame my client and thereby to gain cheap popularity for yourself. 

I have been instructed by my client to state that no money whatsoever came from Raj Rajaratnam of USA to my client’s account and/or my client was never charged in the High Court of Colombo or any other Courts in Sri Lanka on the basis that 3 million dollars referred by you in the said programme, came to my client’s account from USA and therefore that the statement made by you at the said programme. 

I have been further specifically instructed by my client to state that you have made the aforesaid false and defamatory statement knowing very well that my client was discharged from the High Court case on 18”‘ May 2015 from all charges made against my client…” the letter said.