Colombo District Court today dismissed an application made by Parliamentarian RishadBathiudeen for an interim injunction against Minister Wimal Weerawansa and three television channels.
Accordingly, Colombo District Court refused to issue an interim injunction preventing Minister Wimal Weerawansa and three electronic media institutions from referring to All Ceylon MakkalCongress (ACMC) Leader MP RishadBathiudeen.
Minister Weerawansa, during a recent public gathering, made certain remarks which Bathiudeen alleged as defamatory of him.
Colombo District Court made this order under a libel lawsuit filed by MP Rishad Bathiudeen.
Plaintiff Rishad Bathiudeen states that the first defendant Minister in a public speech held under the theme of ‘Islamic Extremism beyond the Easter Commission’ on March 9, 2021, had made a defamatory statement with malicious intent. He further said the statement made by Minister Wimal Weerawansa as the chief speaker of the event had been aired by three private television channels (Hiru TV, Derana TV and Swarnavahini) on the same day. Plaintiff further pleads that by reason of the said defamatory statement, he suffered grave injury and loss to his reputation, character as an individual and a politician.
Bathiudeen stated he suffered loss and damage, which he assesses at One Billion rupees.
