An audio recording of a telephone conversation regarding the controversial coal tender process has been circulating on social media since yesterday afternoon. Jayantha Ratnayake, Chairman of Lanka Call Company, has issued a statement regarding the audio recording today (13).
In the statement, the Chairman has stated that the audio recording is completely distorted, but has not stated that it is fake. The audio recording circulating on social media includes the following conversation.
“I promise you that I will bring the hard copy with today’s date… Do you know who I am saving? I am saving the President, Mr. Dhammika, and Mr. Mohan. You are a sinner. You also have a duty, my dear brother, don’t do that. I am saying that I must have the hard copy by nine fifty-five tomorrow morning with today’s date.”
Accordingly, a wide discussion is being built on social media about this audio recording, and names like the President, Mr. Dhammika, and Mr. Mohan are clearly heard being mentioned in it. Samagi Jana Balawegaya MP Mujbar Rahuman has also filed a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department regarding this audio recording.
Meanwhile, a journalist in England, Uvindu Kurukulasuriya, has posted a note about this on his social media account. He is questioning how the Chairman of a company that was sealed by the Criminal Investigation Department yesterday can issue a press release today on its letterhead.
The Criminal Investigation Department yesterday sealed Lanka Coal Company following a complaint made by the Secretary to the President to investigate all coal purchases made by the company since its inception.
