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JHU monk in fund muddle
 By Santhush Fernando
JHU dissident monk, Gampaha District Parliamentarian Ven. Apperekke Punyananda Thera, has allegedly misused a sum of Rs. 500,000 out of a total one million rupees allocated from the President's Fund, a reliable source told The Sunday Times.

Ven. Punyananda Thera is alleged to have withdrawn half of the allocated money for the development of his temple and had credited it to his own account in the Mirigama Branch of the Bank of Ceylon, the source said.

The money had been credited to the Temple Benefactor Society (Dayaka Sabhawa) at the National Savings Bank in November for the development of the Nagasella Sri Vivekarama Temple in Pamunuwatte, Mirigama.

President's Fund Assistant Secretary M.W. Siripala had issued the cheque, number 755721 dated 24 October 2004, after the Thera requested money for a 2.5 million rupee building project. The construction is yet to commence.

The source alleged that a white Townace bearing number 253-8932 was gifted to the monk in June last year, by a prominent PSD figure. When contacted by The Sunday Times Ven. Apperekke Punyananda Thera denied the allegations. "I will reveal everything about the vehicle and money to the media in due time," the Thera further said.
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