Former Governor Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon, has sent a Letter of Demand to the Independent Television Network (ITN) seeking Rs. 100 million in damages for alleged defamation.
In the legal notice, Tennakoon has requested ITN to pay the compensation within 14 days over defamatory remarks aired on its News Bulletin on January 9, 2025, and the Pattaren Eha morning program on January 10, 2025.
The Letter of Demand states that the comments made by Agriculture Minister Samantha Vidyaratne during a media briefing, and further remarks by the program presenter, were false and defamatory. It claims the broadcast and online distribution of these statements caused serious harm to Tennakoon’s reputation and character.
The letter further asserts that the words and statements used in the broadcast were per se defamatory and also defamatory by innuendo, portraying Tennakoon as corrupt and dishonest before the public. It adds that the content was aired and circulated with express malice and intent to humiliate him in the eyes of the Sri Lankan public.
Tennakoon, who also served as the former Executive Director of the Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) and the Centre for Human Rights and Research (CHR) Sri Lanka, said the statements had subjected him to public ridicule and disrepute.
ITN is yet to issue a response regarding the legal notice.
