No evidence of Gnanakone’s alleged offer says Rajitha

No evidence has been gathered so far about the allegations that businessman Charles Gnanakone offered bribes to the UNP dissident group to vote against the Government at a crucial time, Minister Rajitha Senaratne told The Sunday Times. He said they were in the process of gathering the evidence and so far had only the information that two of the members had been approached by Mr. Gnanakone.

Dr. Senaratne declined to name the two members who were reported to have received the telephone calls from Mr. Gnanakone, but said the issue was being discussed and would be taken up with President Mahinda Rajapaksa on August 30. Minister Karu Jayasuriya told Parliament on Tuesday that he had information that Mr. Gnanakone had offered Rs. 100 million each for a member to vote against the Government.

He said Mr. Gnanakone was arrested on suspicion of his involvement in the assassination of former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar. Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva told The Sunday Times that if the UNP wanted the Government was willing to appoint a select committee to investigate the allegations.

However, UNP General Secretary and MP Tissa Attanayake said the party had no desire to ask for a select committee to investigate the matter as the allegations had been brought by the dissident group of the UNP.“There are talks underway with some of the UNP members who crossed over, to return to the party. That is the reason allegations are being made to implicate the UNP,” Mr. Attanayake said.

He said the Government failed to realize that Mr. Gnanakone who was arrested on suspicion of his involvement in the Kadirgamar assassination had been eventually released during the period of the government.