A mother of two teenaged daughters claims that Sri Lankan cricketer Tillakaratne Dilshan who is her immediate neighbour is threatening her to sell him her house and that all complaints regarding this to the police have fallen on deaf ears.
Renuka de Costa, who lives in the house adjoining Dilshan’s, accuses the cricketer and his wife Manjula Thilini for making her life miserable wanting to buy her house for a lesser amount.
“This house was bought with the money my husband earned by toiling hard in Iraq. We moved to 33/ 29A, Rajamaha Vihara Road, Pitakotte on June 15, 2010 and had a good rapport with Dilshan and his family till November 2010 before an annoying proposal came from them,” said Renuka.
According to Renuka, Dilshan and his family had invited them for several functions as they were associating so closely.
“This house was bought for Rs.50.5 million under my husband and my names. Although we spent such a large amount, Dilshan and his wife have asked my husband to sell it to them for Rs.40 million to which my husband has agreed. When this proposal was conveyed to me I got annoyed and that was how our friendship came to an end,” said Renuka.
Renuka further stated that her husband who was on holiday from June refused to go back to Iraq until the deal went through.
“My two school going daughters and I were really upset over the issue and my husband’s actions after the proposal came from Dilshan’s family. There were many instances where my husband assaulted my two teenaged daughters and fought with me on unnecessary issues. Since the house was bought under both our names, he could not sell the house to accomplish his wish. Since I knew that my husband would steal the deed and forge my signature to sell the house I hid the deed,” said Renuka.
Since Renuka could not suffer intimidation, she had lodged a complaint with the Mirihana police Children and Women Bureau against her husband.
“The lady police officer Kusum in the Children and Women’s Bureau inquired into my complaint and advised my husband not to behave like an animal and to listen to me for the sake of my young family. She also advised my husband not to harass me and my daughters and try to lead a peaceful life with the family and not to sell the house that was bought with the money he has toiled hard for.
“After the inquiry my husband did not raise any issues with us and was silent. It did not take a few days for him once again to shout at me over the same issue. By which time he had lost his lucrative job in Iraq as he had failed to report for duty disregarding the numerous calls asking to report for duty. He paid little heed for his job but rather wanted to ‘help’ Dilshan’s family to purchase our house,” added Renuka.
Renuka was puzzled as to why Dilshan’s family was so interested in buying her house when they could buy any other property that is available in the country without harassing her.
“It was Dilshan that came to this place before us. Why couldn’t they buy this house before we purchased it? Why do they want to buy our house for a pittance? He earns money playing cricket. He may be having billions of rupees and enough of politicians to back him, but I do not consider those and fall prey to him. The only thing Dilshan and his wife could do is to destroy my life. If they think so they have made a big mistake. My relations and friends are following this whole episode and they will do the needful if something happens to my life mysteriously,” said Renuka.
While this battle was going on, according to Renuka she was surprised why Manjula Thilini – wife of Dilshan – once came to her house and informed her that her husband had met with an accident at Mawanella and then asked for her deed.“I was puzzled as to why she came to break the news to me. I knew that my husband went on a trip with some of his friends in my car. But what made him inform Dishan’s family about the accident? I am yet to find out why he did so. I was told that my husband had called Dilshan to tell about the accident. Manjula meanwhile wanted our house deed and took me to a devalaya claiming to do a pooja for my husband. It was only later that I understood that an attempt had been made to do a charm to change my mind. But fortunately that did not happen and the dispute continued further,” said Renuka.
Since Renuka could not bear the suffering any longer, she had told her husband to allow her to lease out the house and move away if not she would set fire to herself and die in front of the house as she could no longer suffer intimidation and harassments from her husband and Dilshan’s family.
“As a result of the threat, my husband agreed to lease out the house to a foreigner and rented out a house at Subadrarama Road, Kotte. Since that house was too small we moved to another house at Jambugasmulla Mawatha, Nugegoda. By this time my husband left to Dubai seeking a job.
After completing one year our tenant too left the house without giving any valid reasons and I moved into the house once again with my mother and two young daughters. As I was undergoing mental agony for the past two years my friends wanted me to have a special ‘bahirawa pooja’ at home to ward off evil acts. When we were having this pooja, Manjula came to her balcony with Dishan and his mother and shouted at me in filth saying that she will drag me out from my house. On another day Dilshan too shouted at me saying that it is simple for him to chase me away from my house or to finish me off,” said Renuka.
Meanwhile, on a complaint lodged by Dishan’s father, Renuka was asked to come to the Mirihana police for an inquiry.
“Allegation was levelled against me for obstructing Dilshan’s vehicle and scolding him in filth. To inquire the matter I was taken to ASP Soyza where he spoke to me in anger. He asked irrelevant questions and said that I will have to compensate Dilshan for bringing mental agony before he left for a match. ASP Soyza also wanted me to sell the house to Dilshan for the amount they wanted. When I told him as to why I should sell incurring losses, the ASP said that I could invest the money and enjoy my life.
When I lodged a complaint against Dilshan for installing CCTV cameras focusing on our swimming pool, nothing was done to address the matter. Now I have a feeling that my life is in danger and the police too is helping Dilshan in whatever way they could,” said Renuka.
However it was later that Renuka had met DIG Sumith Edirisinghe and lodged a complaint against the police for failing to discharge their duties and for being biased.
Meanwhile ASP Soyza refuting allegations said that he did not harass Manjula as claimed by her.
“The issue is the CCTV cameras. My officers who went to inquire said that the cameras are not focused towards the neighbour’s house but to Dilshan’s parapet wall. I am busy at a protest if you want any more details send one of your staff members to the police,” said Soyza.
However, DIG Sumith Edirisinghe confirmed to The Sunday Leader that there is a dispute between Renuka and Dishan’s family and added that he would settle it amicably.
Responding to a text message, Tillakaratne Dilshan speaking from Australia refuted allegations levelled against him and his wife saying he would take legal action against Renuka once the article appears in The Sunday Leader.
Dilshan first asked what the accusations levelled against him were. When told that it was against a threat he (Dilshan) had made to Renuka, Dilshan wanted this paper to go ahead with its article and said he would take stern action against the complainant. “I do not have anything to say. I will take action against the neighbour once the article appears,” said Dilshan.
Speaking further, Dilshan’s wife Manjula Thilini first said that she and her husband did not know such a person by that name but however later added that they did not have anything to do with Renuka.
“Dilshan is a famous cricketer and what made you to do an article about an alleged accusation? When there are so many other things that have to be highlighted why do you want to write something that is irrelevant to your profession? I don’t think that there is a necessity to highlight a small incident in a big way. Since I do not know who you are I am talking to you like this. If not I will talk to you in a different way,” said Manjula.
When asked whether it is true that both she and her husband had scolded Manjula and that Dilshan’s father had lodged a bogus complaint against Renuka for coming in front of Dilshan’s vehicle and scolding him using abusive language, Manjula tried to avoid the question and was asking as to why this reporter was trying to bring discredit to her husband who is a famous cricketer.
When asked whether it was true that they had installed CCTV cameras and some of them were focussed straight towards Renuka’s residence which is an illegal act, Manjula said that CCTV cameras were not installed towards the neighbour’ s residence.
“Why should we focus cameras to look at them? Since we do not have security we got CCTV cameras installed because most of the time we live abroad and only about two months in a year we live in Sri Lanka. Neither Dilshan nor me and even Dilshan’s parents associate the neighbours,” said Manjula.
Although Manjula first said that she did not know that the CCTV cameras had irked Renuka, contradicting what she said earlier, Manjula said that even the police did not find fault against them when Renuka lodged a complaint against the cameras.
“I heard that police had come once but has not found the cameras focused towards them. We only can see our parapet wall from the camera but not the other house,” said Manjula.
Manjula further said that there was no use of explaining this to the reporter and wanted her to do whatever she wanted as they would take necessary action following the publication of the article that would harm the reputation of her husband and hers.
Although The Sunday Leader was able to capture the CCTV cameras that were focused directly towards Renuka’s swimming pool, it is learnt that the cameras are now not directed at the pool after The Sunday Leader contacted Dilshan and his wife.
source : Sundayleader
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