Legal action against two MPs mulled | Sunday Observer
Failing to return luxury vehicles

Legal action against two MPs mulled

25 September, 2022

The Presidential Secretariat has seized a luxury Land Cruiser used by Anuradhapura District Pohottuwa MP K.P.S. Kumarasiri without returning it to the Secretariat. Kalutara District MP Lalith Ellawala too as failed to return the vehicle Toyota Hilux cab according to Secretariat sources. They said they were considering legal action against them who had failed to return their vehicles.

They said they were considering legal action against him and another MP who had failed to return a Toyota Hilux cab.

The sources said all other MPs had returned the vehicles except these two MPs. The Secretariat was considering legal action against them for misusing public property.

The market value of the two vehicles, Toyota Land Cruiser (KT – 7233) and Toyota Hilux Cab (PH – 4201), used by the two MPs, is estimated to be around Rs. 50 million, the sources said.

Kumarasiri’s Land Cruiser was seized while it was being serviced.

Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa released these vehicles from the Presidential Secretariat to MP Kumarasiri and Kalutara District MP Lalith Ellawala when they requested vehicles, saying they do not have vehicles to carry out their public duties.When the Sunday Observer contacted Kalutara District MP Lalith Ellawala as to why he had failed to return his vehicle to the Secretariat, he said that he had informed the Presidential Secretariat about two weeks ago that he would return the vehicle in six months.“Had President Ranil Wickremesinghe told me that he couldn’t wait six months when I informed him of this, I would have handed over that vehicle right away,” he said.When asked if he hoped to hand it over now, he said “Yes.” Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa released this vehicle to me upon my request, as he knew that I did not have a vehicle,” he said.

“My conduct was such that people saved my house when on May 9 the mobs tried to burn it,” he said.

“They may be doing this because MP Kumarasiri and I voted in favour of Dullas Alahapperuma at the Presidential vote in Parliament,” he said.

MP Ellawala said that the Presidential Secretariat officers had on Friday issued a letter to Kumarasiri to have his vehicle serviced.” “While the vehicle was being serviced, the Presidential Secretariat had directed the service station not to release it to Kumarasiri,” he added.

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