Sidath Wettimuny to head cricket administration

The government has taken steps, through a gazette extraordinary issued on March 27 to appoint an interim committee for Sri Lanka Cricket effective from April 01.

Sidath Wettimuny has been appointed chairman of that interim committee. The gazette says sports minister Navin Dissanayake has made the appointment as per clauses 32, 33 and 34 of the sports act.

Prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today (30) announced the dissolution of the SLC administration and the appointment of an interim committee that will administer the institution until the conclusion of investigations into fraud and corruption in the past.

An election would hamper the investigation, he said. The SLC owes Rs. 500 million to State Engineering Corporation for the construction of stadiums and the state had lost considerable income due to CSN being given cricket telecast rights. The interim committee also has Prakash Schaffter, Lucille Wijewardena, Kushil Gunasekara and Kapila Wijewardena, while Nuzki Mohamed, Prasanna Jayawardena, Jayananda Warnaweera and Duminda Hulangamuwa will comprise a member board. The election for SLC was due to take place on April 30, BBC Sandeshaya reports.

Basil to be back within days

Former economic development minister Basil Rajapaksa, who left the country soon after the presidential election, has decided to return soon.

He told that he would be back within days pursuant to a court notification for him to give a statement pertaining to alleged financial irregularities in the Divi Neguma Development Department.

He strongly rejected media reports that he had fled the country, and said he spent a few weeks’ vacation with his children after nine years of hectic life.

Rajapaksa said he would respond, immediately upon his return, to the charges against him, adding that he had never resorted to illegal acts. Financial irregularities of over Rs. 6,500 million The police spokesman said the ex minister would be questioned over financial dealings of the the Divi Neguma Development Department, as its director general R.R.K. Ranawaka had told police that he had followed Rajapaksa’s orders.

The financial crime division of the police will interrogate Rajapaksa over more than Rs. 6,500 million of financial irregularities in the Department. They include the withdrawal of Rs. 4,681 m plus Rs. 36.6 m of interest, from the Department account no. 76488889 of Battaramulla branch of the Bank of Ceylon. Also, Rs. 1,646 m had been withdrawn on four different occasions from the BoC Borella branch account no. 7041562 to the name of the DG of the Department.

The spending of Rs. 73 m on a conference, dividend money of Department employees, renovation of the homes of the Divi Neguma beneficiaries and the printing of a calendar during the presidential polls will also be investigated. When police had gone to the Medamulana address mentioned in Rajapaksa’s passport to handover the court order, its occupants had obstructed them.

Shreya Ghoshal Live In Concert 2015 Photos

The name Shreya Goshal is the big one for Bollywood fans around the globe. A songstress who has lent her voice to make the magical moments of many Hindi, Tamil and Telungu blockbusters come alive, Shreya performed in Sri Lanka.

Bringing with her an award winning repertoire of songs from screen names such as “My Name is Khan,” Rowdy Rathore” and “Bodyguard” her solo concert, Shreya Goshal live In Concert entertained Sri Lankan Bolllywood buffs on March 28 at the CR&FC grounds.

Photos from : HiruTv

Malaka still can’t visit night clubs

A Colombo Court while relaxing some of the bail conditions imposed on former minister Mervyn Silva’s son Malaka with regard to the charges of attacking a foreigner at a night club further restrained him from visiting night clubs.

Additional Magistrate Nishantha Pieris gave his ruling while inquiring into the petition filed by Malaka’s Counsel seeking to lift the ban imposed on him from visiting night clubs and public places.

He said the former Magistrate had imposed the bail conditions for Malaka’s well being and that of the public and pointed out that they were not imposed with malicious intent. Malaka was banned from visiting night clubs and behaving offensively in public places while the court case continued.

Magistrate Sahabdeen had also released five other suspects in this case on a personal bail of Rs.500,000. They were restricted from accompanying Malaka to night clubs and engaging in unlawful assemblies.

Two MSD officers were released on Rs.100,000 personal bail. All the suspects were restrained from influencing or interfering with the witnesses in this case. The other suspects released on bail were Ramesh Kulatunge, O.V. Wimalaratne, M.D.P. Upasena, T.R. Weerasekera, MSD officers M Sarathchandra and M.C.I. Fernando. The case was postponed for August 13.

​President’s brother dies

President Maithripala Sirisena’s brother, Priyantha Sirisena (40) who was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Colombo following an axe attack, has succumbed to his injuries yesterday morning, hospital sources said.

Priyantha Sirisena, father of three was the youngest of his family and the owner of Rajarata Builders Pvt. Ltd and the Rajarata Rice Mills Pvt. Ltd. The body is lying at his residence at Ethumalpitiya in Polonnaruwa and the burial would be held on Monday at 3.00 p.m. at Polonnaruwa cemetery.

Don Nishan Lakmal Haputhanthri, who was arrested on charges of assaulting President’s brother Priyantha Sirisena was remanded till April 8 by Polonnaruwa Acting Magistrate Sarasi Iddawela this afternoon. Meanwhile, the suspect in a statement to the police said he assaulted Priyantha Sirisena with an axe because he came to his house under the influence of liquor and assaulted his parents.

Hirunika is in A Relationship

 
Western Provincial Councilor Hirunika Premachandra has posted on Facebook that she is in a Relationship. But with the massive publicity she got for it after few hours she has posted a update saying It was a joke and She is not in a Relationship.

Before She has a relationship with Randima Gamage who is a Provincial Council Minister in the Southern province. Gossip media published that she is having an affair with the President’s son Namal Rajapaksha. Hirunika was furious with the website for publishing incorrect information.

Attack on President’s brother

Priyantha Sirisena, the brother of President Maithripala Sirisena was hospitalized with serious injuries after he was assaulted by an unknown person at Hathare Ela area in Polonnaruwa.

It was reported that Mr. Sirisena had been attacked near a garage in the area at around 7. 00 p.m. and had been rushed to the Polonnaruwa Hospital. He was later air lifted to Colombo. Police Spokesman ASP Ruwan Gunasekara said a suspect called ‘Lakmal’ who is a friend of Mr. Sirisena had been arrested after he was surrendered to the Bakamuna Police over the alleged assault.

He said a personal dispute may have led to the attack.

Namal Rajapaksha rides a Scooter

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksha's Son MP Namal Rajapaksha rides a Scooter.

Raini Charuka's Engagement Photos

Veteran singers Rookantha Gunatillake and his wife Chandralekha Perera's daughter Raini Charuka got engaged according to sources. The Engagement has held in Washington USA. Her fiance Akila is a member of Rookantha's music band and there love story is more than 8 years old.

We wish both of them Happy Future.

Call to ban Ajinomoto

 
The National Movement for the Protection of Consumers has called for a ban on the importation and sale of the flavouring agent Ajinomoto.

The call comes in a statement it has issued in connection with the consumer day on March 15.

It says Ajinomoto is not included in the list of 18 flavouring agents banned by the previous government.

The consumption of Ajinomoto leads to diabetes, high blood pressure and several other ailments, it says.

Gotabaya banned from traveling overseas

The Galle Magistrate today issued an order preventing former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, former Navy Commander Admiral Somathilaka Dissanayake and two others from leaving the country.

The other two persons who were imposed the travel restriction were the Director of the Rakna Arakshaka Lanka (Pvt.) Limited, Major General (Retd) K. B. Egodawela and Manjula Yapa, the Managing Director of Avant Garde Security Services (Pvt.) Limited.

Police Spokesman ASP Ruwan Gunasekara said the CID has requested the travel restriction to facilitate the investigation on the floating armoury of Avant-Garde at Galle Harbour.