Deputy Minister of Public Security, Sunil Watagala, has issued a letter of demand seeking Rs. 2 billion in compensation from SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa, in response to an earlier legal notice alleging defamation.
The letter, dated September 22, 2025, was sent by Attorney Manjula Balasuriya on Watagala’s instructions.
The move follows a letter of demand dated September 10, in which Attorney Sankha Karunaratne, on behalf of MP Namal Rajapaksa, sought Rs. 1 billion from Watagala, claiming a public statement made during a media briefing in Homagama had defamed the MP by implying links to the drug trade.
In his response, Watagala’s legal team denied making any defamatory remarks and argued that Namal Rajapaksa is already facing indictments filed by the Attorney General over the alleged misuse of Rs. 70 million in the Krish transaction. Therefore, they claimed, no further damage to his reputation could have occurred.
The Deputy Minister's counsel also rejected the Rs. 1 billion demand and warned that any legal action pursued would trigger a counterclaim, with full legal costs to be sought from Rajapaksa.
Citing the defamatory nature of the original legal notice, Watagala is now demanding Rs. 2 billion in damages for reputational harm. The letter demands payment within seven days, failing which legal proceedings will be initiated in a civil court.
