CSN doesn't belong to Mahinda's sons - Former CEO Nishantha says

CSN doesn't belong to Mahinda's sons ....

owner is a ship-company owner called Jayawardena

- Former CEO Nishantha says

A somewhat disputable situation has arisen now

regarding the owners of Carlton Sports Network or CSN Channel which was operating with the use of the name 'Carlton' of ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa's Medamulana house.

Nishantha Ranatunga, the original CEO of the channel during the period 2012 - 13 had mentioned to the Police Financial Crimes Unit that he had stated the names of its true owners and that one of the owners was one Jayawardena who is an owner of a shipping company and that he is not willing to disclose the names of others in the executive staff. He has emphasised that Yoshitha, Namal or any other in the Rajapaksa family has any connection with that channel and to question Mr. Upali Dharmadasa himself who had told BBC sometime back that CSN is a channel of Mahinda's sons.

Nishantha Ranatunga had been at the Police Financial Crimes Investigation Unit to inquire into a complaint yesterday in connection with irregularities of that channel. Having made his response for 5 hours, what he later told BBC was that there was neither any ownership of the Rajapaksa family nor any patronage was offered to this channel. He also rejected allegations that total ownership rights to broadcast local cricket matches outside tender procedures were given to this channel and that everything was conducted according to legal processes.