For false and defamatory news item:

ITN demands Rs 1,000 m as compensation from website

Independent Television Network Ltd. Has sent a Letter of Demand through its lawyers to a website demanding one thousand million rupees as compensation for publishing a false news item, defamatory towards the network and its Chairman.

The Letter of Demand has insisted that one thousand million rupees may be paid in addition as compensation for the defamation caused to its chairman senior journalist Rosmond Senaratne.

This has been sent in connection with a vicious and baseless news item published with regard to an award ceremony held recently with the intention of causing discredit to ITN and its chairman.

The website concerned has published the report without making inquiries or receiving confirmation. This has caused irreversible prejudice and irreparable damage to the most popular TV channel in Sri Lanka and the image of its chairman senior journalist Rosmond Senaratne as the news item was linked to other websites as well.

The Letter of Demand sent to the editor of the website has demanded a payment of one thousand million rupees within 14 days as compensation for ITN network and an additional one thousand million rupees as compensation for the defamation caused to senior journalist Rosmond Senaratne. Attorney-at-Law Sharm Fernando has informed on behalf of ITN and its chairman that legal action will be taken to recover the amount in case of failure to make the payments.