Justice Minister files complaint with CID over false education data

Colombo, Dec 16 (Daily Mirror) - Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara has lodged a formal complaint with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) today requesting an inquiry into the inclusion of inaccurate educational qualifications in the Parliament database.

Speaking to the media, the Minister expressed concerns that the erroneous data might have been deliberately entered with the aim of defaming him or eroding public trust in the country.

Minister Nanayakkara's name had been listed as "Dr. Harshana Nanayakkara" on the Parliament website. After a complaint was made, officials responsible for updating the site took immediate steps to correct the information.

Last week, the Parliamentary Communications Department acknowledged the error, attributing it to incorrect data entry concerning the Minister's educational qualifications. 

Given the recent controversies surrounding the qualifications of other government MPs, Minister Nanayakkara emphasised the importance of investigating into how such mistakes have occurred.

The Minister clarified that he had never used the "Dr." title on his business cards or official biography. He said that he had filed a complaint with the CID to determine the motive behind the alteration of his information.

"It’s clear that someone might be trying to harm my reputation and undermine my credibility within my party by spreading false information," he said. 

He also said that he has requested the CID to thoroughly investigate the matter and take appropriate action if any wrongdoing is discovered. 

Nanayakkara stressed that his aim was not to target any individual but rather to uncover the truth behind the incident. 

In addition, he said that legal steps are being considered to file a civil case for the damage to his reputation caused by the various media reports published related to the matter.