Court allows Tissa to seek answers from Prime Minister

Colombo, June 14 (Daily Mirror) - The Colombo District Court on Friday (12) permitted Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) National Organiser Tissa Attanayake to serve interrogatories on Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, seeking answers regarding her educational background and her knowledge of the destruction allegedly caused by the JVP during the 1987–1989 insurrection, in connection with the defamation lawsuit filed by the Prime Minister against him.

Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya has filed a plaint seeking Rs. 100 million in damages from Tissa Attanayake and Asia Broadcasting Corporation (Pvt) Ltd. for allegedly making and publishing a defamatory statement during a 2024 Presidential Election rally.

When the case was taken up before the Colombo District Court, Senior Counsel Iranga Perera, appearing for Tissa Attanayake, supported an application seeking leave to deliver interrogatories to the Prime Minister. The application contained approximately 19 questions, primarily relating to the Prime Minister’s educational background and her prior knowledge of the destruction caused during the 1987–1989 JVP insurrection, including the bomb attack on Sri Dalada Maligawa.

The District Court fixed the matter for July 20 for the plaintiff, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, to respond to the interrogatories.

Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya alleged that on August 19, 2024, the defendant Tissa Attanayake made a public statement during an SJB Presidential campaign meeting in Mawanella, claiming that an NPP government would halt the Kandy Dalada Perahera and the plaintiff has also made a statement regarding this matter.