Wrongdoers using Maithri Gunaratne as cat’s paw: JVP

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) said today some people hell-bent on protecting their sons-in-law, who obtained financial inducements from Perpetual Treasures Ltd., were employing individuals like Maithri Gunaratne as a cat's paw to sling mud at the JVPers.

JVP MP Vijitha Herath said this in the wake of Mr. Gunaratne accusing JVP MP Nalinda Jayatissa of having received money from PTL owner Arjun Aloysius.

Mr. Herath told a news conference that Mr. Gunaratne was carrying out a mud-slinging campaign against Mr. Jayatissa, who spoke out against fraud and corruption in and out the COPE.

“The thieves are making false allegations against MPs who are fighting against fraud and corruption in a move to cover up their theft. It is reported that sons-in law of some people had obtained money from PTL owner Aloysius and to suppress these allegations, some people were spreading baseless rumours against Mr. Jayatissa,” he said.

Mr. Herath challenged Mr. Gunaratne to prove the allegations against Mr. Jayatissa and added that they would not allow anyone to protect sons-in-law and suppress allegations against them.

He said the names of those who were alleged to have obtained money from Aloysius should have been revealed earlier and added that it was prevented as the full report of the Presidential Commission on bond scam was not presented in parliament.

Mr. Herath said the rest of the bond commission report should be presented in parliament as the Attorney General had also ruled that there was no legal barrier to doing so.

“People have a right to know who obtained money from Aloysius,’ he said and added that another Presidential Commission should be appointed as promised by the President to investigate PTL activities of the PTL which were not investigated by the PCoI.

“The President has not presented the three special acts to recover the public money looted by the PTL as promised. He also promised to review the progress of the investigations each month. But nothing has been done in this regard,’ he said. (Ajith Siriwardana)