LETTER OF DEMAND OF 500 MILLION AGAINST 'MAWBIMA' ....

LETTER OF DEMAND OF 500 MILLION AGAINST 'MAWBIMA' ....

 FOR STORY OF HAVING GIFTED DOUGHNUTS, PHONES TO THE MEDIA

A letter of demand has been sent to Ceylon Newspapers (Pvt) Ltd and Chief Editor of Mawbima Newspaper by Attorney-at-Law Mr. M.D.J. Bandara demanding a sum of 500 million as compensation to be paid to Champika Ranawaka of Eksath Jathika Peramuna for the following news item published in the daily newspaper of August 7th on the first page and page 15 as,

"1400 lakhs spent for Champika's election-work" ... "Reveal to people how money was received" ... "Presents of chocolate doughnuts sent in bulk on Champika's birthday to media institutions who cast Preferential Votes .... some media heads gifted with luxury mobile phones". The letter of demand was sent because the published news item was false, malicious and a defamatory one and therefore that it had damaged his reputation.

They had mentioned that Mr. Patali Champika Ranawaka has made a complaint to the Police Department against Tiran Alles attached to Ceylon Newspapers (Pvt) Ltd. on information received by the public and having considered it as the duty of a citizen to do so over a corrupted financial deal executed regarding Rada Institution and that even before this the Chief Editor of Mawbima Daily Newspaper had published several continuous malicious, false news reports against Mr. Patali Champika Ranawaka with the intention of meting out revenge on him.

It is  further mentioned there with regard to this false news report a sum of Rs. 500 million is demanded to be paid separately and collectively on or before August 25th and if the said sum of money is not paid before that the Chief Editor of the relevant newspaper and the Company is bound to pay the legal interest and costs concerned.

The article which provoked this dispute, from BELOW