Lawyers for journalist Dilka Samanmal have filed a complaint seeking Rs 100 million in damages against YouTuber Sudatta Thilakasiri for defamatory statements made on his YouTube channel ‘Talk with Sudantha’.
The lawyers point out that the statement has caused great damage to the personal life and reputation of their client, who has been respected by Sri Lankans for almost two decades as an award-winning journalist.
They point out that the defamatory statement, which specifically mentions the names of her father and husband, and based on her Australian citizenship and the Sydney Opera House premises in Australia, constitutes verbal sexual harassment.
Accordingly, if Sudatta Thilakasiri fails to pay the compensation amount due under this estoppel within the stipulated time, Dilka Samanmali’s lawyers say that they also expect to file a case in the District Court demanding compensation of one billion rupees.
They say that a complaint has been filed with the Criminal Investigation Department regarding this incident and it is being investigated under the Secure Online Methods Act.
Since Sudatta Thilakasiri is a permanent resident of Australia, Dilka Samanmali’s father has filed a complaint with the Australian Police to enforce Australian law against him.
A group led by former Member of Parliament Hirunika Premachandra has met with the Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and requested that Australian law be enforced against Sudatta Thilakasiri, as he is an Australian permanent resident.