Sri Lanka, Feb. 2 -- Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa has sent a letter of demand seeking Rs. 1 billion in damages from former Western Provincial Councilor Niroshan Padukka, accusing him of making false and defamatory claims linking the minister to the use of a credit card belonging to a pharmaceutical company during a visit to India.

The legal notice, issued through Attorney-at-Law Sampath Yalewatte, relates to statements allegedly made by Padukka at a press conference held around February 1, 2026.

According to the letter of demand, Padukka claimed that the minister had used a credit card belonging to the owner of a blacklisted pharmaceutical company and had used it to purchase goods worth approximately Rs. 1 mil...