Asiri resisting Harry J

Softlogic is confident – along with ‘friendly parties – of controlling Asiri Surgical and not accepting the mandatory offer by the Harry Jayawardena-controlled Sri Lanka Insurance (SLI) acting in concert with D.K. Subasinghe, another shareholder.

“We do not need to accept the mandatory offer because we are in control,” Ashok Pathirage, who owns Softlogic, told The Sunday Times FT.

Asiri Surgical shares closed at Rs.8.75 last Friday and traded 90,800 shares while parent company Asiri Hospitals traded 3,500 shares at Rs.78. Stock market analysts said that it was widely believed that Softlogic was buying into both the stocks through related retail parties.

SLI officials declined to comment. Softlogic owns nearly 23 percent in Asiri Hospitals and six percent in Asiri Surgical.