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Former Minister Sarath Weerasekera has, through his lawyers, sent a letter of demand to The Kingsbury hotel, alleging that CCTV footage from the hotel was edited and circulated on social media in a manner that violated his privacy and damaged his reputation. The letter alleges that the hotel bears responsibility for the unauthorised release, editing and circulation of the relevant CCTV footage. Four demands have reportedly been included in the letter of demand. The main allegations and details set out in the letter include the following: Advertisement It states that CCTV footage recorded when Mr Weerasekera visited the hotel on 24 October was altered and released online in a manner that created the false impression that he and a Buddhist monk had entered the same hotel room at the same time or at approximately the same time. His lawyers have stated that footage obtained from the hotel’s CCTV surveillance system remains under the hotel’s control and custody and could not have been released without the hotel’s involvement or knowledge. The letter also alleges that the hotel and administrators of various social media pages and YouTube channels jointly edited or manipulated the relevant CCTV footage before circulating it. Six social media pages and channels have been named in this connection: Dasatha Lanka News, Channel 4, Gune Aiyage Kamare, Omaya Kovilagoda, Cyber News LK and Palathsabha Wirodinge Jathika Ekamuthuwa. The letter alleges that the CCTV footage was edited to make it appear that Mr Weerasekera and a Buddhist monk entered a hotel room at the same time or within a short interval of one another. Advertisement The lawyers have stressed that the footage created a false impression among the public and that the suggestion that Mr Weerasekera and the Buddhist monk entered a hotel room together or at approximately the same time was entirely untrue. The letter further states that a Facebook page named Channel 4 circulated the video under a defamatory headline and falsely claimed that the individual shown in it was former National Intelligence Chief Hendawitharana. The lawyers argue that the unauthorised publication of the CCTV footage violated Mr Weerasekera’s privacy, subjected him to severe online harassment, caused him mental distress and damaged his reputation. It is also alleged that the incident breached The Kingsbury hotel’s commitment to maintaining the confidentiality of its guests’ personal information. The lawyers have informed the hotel that their client reserves the right to initiate legal proceedings under Section 20 of the Online Safety Act, No. 9 of 2024, in connection with the incident. Advertisement They have also reserved the right to lodge complaints with the police and the Online Safety Commission. Meanwhile, the letter of demand sets out four specific requests to be met by The Kingsbury hotel. The lawyers have warned that they have been instructed by their client to initiate legal proceedings without further notice if the demands are not met. The legal notice firmly states that if the demands are not fulfilled within seven days, their client intends to file a lawsuit seeking Rs. 100 million in compensation for defamation, wrongful interference with privacy and damage to his reputation. It also states that complaints will be lodged with the police, the Online Safety Commission and the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. Advertisement Related Topics: Featured lka SriLanka Up Next Sri Lanka to face Pakistan in tri-nation ODI series final today
Walana raids Department of Motor Traffic
A total of 79 people died while in police custody between 2020 and May 2025 alone, according to an official report issued by the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL). Of these, 49 died while being held in police cells, while another 30 died during police operations involving confrontations, including incidents in which suspects were taken to locations to recover concealed weapons following their arrest. Accordingly, the total number of deaths in police custody during the five-year period stands at 79. This month, two suspects who were in police custody died in incidents reported in areas including Homagama and Kobeigane. Advertisement Several police officers have been arrested in connection with the incidents, and further investigations are under way. The Human Rights Commission has issued a set of special guidelines to the police to ensure the safety of people in custody and prevent deaths in custody. The Bar Association of Sri Lanka has also called on the Government to take measures to prevent such deaths. Speaking to the media on the matter, HRCSL Commissioner Attorney-at-Law Nimal G. Punchihewa stated that officers who are currently on remand or have been suspended in connection with the Homagama incident are also scheduled to be questioned in the coming days. Advertisement Continue Reading News Committee appointed to make recommendations on Chinese drug Published
The National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) has reportedly appointed a special medical committee to make recommendations on whether a consignment of 160,000 vials of Filgrastim injections imported from China for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy can be labelled locally and used. The Medical Supplies Division had rejected the consignment because the vials were not labelled. Although the containers in which the medicines were imported from China carried the relevant labels, the medicines themselves were not labelled, prompting the Medical Supplies Division to reject the consignment. NMRA Chairman Specialist Dr Ananda Wijewickrama stated that the importing company had requested permission from the authority to label the medicines locally after laboratory testing, explaining that the consignment would otherwise have to be sent back to China for labelling, which would involve a substantial cost. Advertisement Filgrastim is administered to cancer patients following chemotherapy to prevent infections that may arise due to a reduction in the number of white blood cells in the body. The rejection of the consignment has also resulted in a shortage of the medicine in the country. Continue Reading News Special notice from the Department of Motor Traffic Published
The Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) has announced that its online appointment booking facility at the Narahenpita office will resume from next Monday (2 November). The online appointment service will once again be available for services including motor vehicle registration, transfer of ownership and assistance with technical issues. Appointments can be booked online via the link provided below. Advertisement Continue Reading Latest Trending Videos CARTOON 15 seconds ago රංජන්ගේ මැම්බර් | 2026.10.31 News 18 minutes ago 79 people died in police custody over five years News 2 hours ago Committee appointed to make recommendations on Chinese drug CARTOON 4 years ago Cartoon 2022-10-14 World 4 years ago Putin grants Russian citizenship to Snowden Videos 3 years ago Search operation underway after Baltimore bridge collapse News 1 week ago Coral Comeback: Rare Marine Life Returns to Hainan Island (Video) News 2 months ago Final Randoli Perahera commences in Kandy (Live) News 2 months ago Fishing season in South China’s Guangdong draws in seafood fans (Video) Trending BIZ 3 days ago CBSL bans 2 more entities over pyramid schemes
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