Controversial security sticker on all liquor bottles MP Buddhika Pathirana lodges complaint with Bribery Commission

By Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana   

Adding a twist to the ongoing controversy over the  government’s attempt to introduce a security sticker to all local liquor  bottles by involving a dubious Indian company at a cost of Rs.1  billion, Parliamentarian Buddhika Pathirana lodged a complaint with the  Bribery Commission yesterday. 

  
The Opposition MP who was carrying out a relentless  struggle in the House against the recent attempts by the Department of  Excise to introduce a new security feature to all the locally made  liquor bottles said a sum of Rs.1 billion will be embezzled per annum if  this ‘shady deal’ was continued.   

SJB MP Pathirana told the media outside the Commission to  Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruptions yesterday that an  urgent probe should be made into this attempt by the Excise Department  to act with an infamous Indian company to print security stickers, on  the instructions of the Ministry of Finance.   
He said the initial proposal was made in the 2016 budget  under the then regime and two of the top politicians of the Yahapalana  Government was involved in getting a tender agreement passed with the  said company MSP (Madras Security Printers) even disregarding several  companies that bid lower rates for the printing of the security sticker.    

“Even President Gotabaya Rajapaksa inquired from me about this  controversial deal and I met the President yesterday morning to brief  him on all matters pertaining to it,” MP Pathirana further said.