Casino-opponent Wimal Weerawansa is behind Salaka Casino!

Sunday, 10 November 2013 

It has been revealed that the ‘Salaka Regino’ casino that was raided by the organized crime unit of the police a few days ago had been run by engineering and construction services minister Wimal Weerawansa’s wife Shashi Weerawansa and Sudharma Nettikumara, the wife of Salaka Group owner Gamini Nettikumara.

Mrs. Nettikumara had operated the casino, with investments by a sister of minister Weerawansa, who is in Italy, without any disruption due to her close connection with director general of the Media Centre for National Security, Lakshman Hulugalle.

Minister Weerawansa’s sister had used the casino to clean black money in Italy. Following a dispute with Shashi Weerawansa, it was Sudharma Nettikumara who had run the casino on her own. She had even refused to pay the minister’s wife her dues, on the strength of her close connection with the MCNS chief.

Minister Weerawansa has mediated in resolving the dispute, and got the police to raid the place. On the strength of their connections with Lakshman Hulugalle, top officers and intelligence officers of the Army had been playing casino at the time of the raid. Disregarding their position, police had arrested all present at the casino. As a result, the organized crime unit was disbanded within 24 hours. The police officers involved have asked minister Weerawansa to mediate and get them cleared.

Chandrika asked to be leader of Tiran’s party!

Sunday, 10 November 2013 

Former president Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has been asked to accept leadership of the registered political party bought by MP Tiran Alles, by a representative of the parliamentarian, internal sources of ‘Mawbima’ newspaper say. The representative of Tiran Alles in this matter is popular columnist Upul Joseph Fernando, who had made the request to Mrs. Kumaratunga over the phone.

Noting that no party in the opposition was capable of toppling the Rajapaksa regime, he had told the ex-president that she was the only leader who can do so. “Ranil is a puppet of the government. Karu is good for nothing. Sajith is not ready yet. Only Madam can do it. If you accept, we will form the opinion. Sirasa too, is with us. We only want Madam to say OK,” he has encouraged her.

She has responded, “I cannot decide it now. I still belong to the SLFP. The other thing is that Rajapaksa will
profit from what you do.”

Although taken back a little by her response, Tiran Alles’ representative has set to work to ‘form the opinion’ even without Mrs. Kumaratunga’s permission. Accordingly, a news article has been planted in Tiran Alles’ newspaper ‘Ceylon Today’ as the lead story.

The article in question claims Sajith Premadasa-led UNP reformists have met and discussed with the former president. Being forewarned that such an article was going to be published, Mrs. Kumaratunga has sent a message to the representative of Tiran Alles that if the falsehood is published, she would take legal action against the newspaper. A frightened ‘Mawbima’ editorial has stopped the printing of the newspaper and included an amended article. But, the truth is that Mrs. Kumaratunga had met only UNP MP Ashok Abeysinghe prior to the local government polls. She had known him since the time he was in the SLFP.

It was Mrs. Kumaratunga who had first congratulated Deshabandu Karu Jayasuriya when he was appointed chairman of the UNP leadership council. She wished him and the council to form a strong oppositon, saying a strong opposition was a must for a democracy.