Government to reacquire Carlton Sports Network land
The Government has taken measures to annul the lease agreement and reacquire the land at Denzil Kobbekaduwa Mawatha, Battaramulla, where the building in which operations of Carlton Sports Network (CSN) Channel is situated, Parliament was informed recently. Minister of Mega polis and Western Development Champika Ranawaka said that the persons to who the land was leased had breached the conditions set out in the lease agreement by carrying out a business in premises of a property which was leased to house the Rajapaksa Memorial Educational, Cultural and Social Service Foundation.
The Minister said the land had been acquired by the Urban Development Authority (UDA) and given on 30 year old lease to CSN at an annual cost of Rs 163,125 in November, 2006. Additionally the leasee had to pay the annual government rates. He said that Cabinet approval had not been obtained to lease out the land but such approval was not needed in this case as the land in question was less than an acre in extent. Minister Ranawaka said that the party to which the land was leased had violated its conditions by using it for a business enterprise and hence the government has decided to annul the agreement and has sought legal advice on how to proceed in relation to taking legal action against those reasonable for breaching the agreement.
The Minister made this disclosure in response to a question raised by JVP MP Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa. Yoshitha Rajapaksa, son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and four others linked to CSN are currently charged with money laundering, criminal breach of trust, forgery and undervaluing imported items obtained by Carlton Sports Network. Nishantha Ranatunga, the former Secretary of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), who also served as one time Chief Executive Officer of CSN and several other connected to CSN are among those accused of wrong doing in connection with the case.