15 June 2024 12:00 am Views - 74
By Yohan Perera and Ranjith Rajapakse
The alleged physical fisticuffs between MPs Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Gunathilaka Rajapaksha is being converted into a legal battle, with the former slated to file a defamation case against his colleague.
MP Aluthgamage had instructed his lawyers to send a letter of demand to MP Rajapaksha whom he said had made a false allegation of assault.
“Eyewitnesses have said they have not seen any fisticuffs at the Presidential Secretariat. Also, I have got affidavits of five state ministers who deny fisticuffs. I will use this for my defamation case,” the MP said.
The MP said he only had a verbal battle with MP Rajapaksha. “Rajapaksha was shouting at me in an aggressive manner and I got into a verbal battle with him when he did not calm down,” he said.
Responding to a remark which MP Rajapaksha that he would reveal everything about the incident in Parliament, Mr. Aluthgamage said he will file a defamation case on what his colleague has said to this date.
MP Rajapaksha has claimed that he had handed over statements of four eyewitnesses to police for investigations. Also, the MP said had told the media that he would reveal everything about the incident in Parliament.
The two MPs clashed at the Presidential Secretariat on June 3, 2024, where MP Rajapaksha was hospitalized.