Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa was aware of the murder attempt of former MP Nadaraja Raviraj and arranged a payment of Rs 50 million to the Karuna faction, a police constable of the intelligence unit, claimed giving evidence before Colombo Additional Magistrate Thilina Gamage yesterday.

The witness, Liyanarachchige Abayaratne, claimed that the murder was carried out with the knowledge of several senior police officers.

He added that he was in contact with the Karuna faction after he was transferred to the National Intelligence Bureau in 2005. Furthermore, he gave details of meetings with some Navy personnel and Karuna faction members whom he suspected to be conspiring to murder Raviraj.

The next hearing of the inquiry was set for March 2.

In November 2015, the CID filed charge sheets against six individuals over the murder of former Parliamentarian Nadarajah Raviraj under the instructions of the Attorney General.

The six accused include two former LTTE (Karuna Faction) members, three Navy personnel and one individual from the police.

Raviraj died after being shot on his way to work on November 10, 2006. One of his guards also died in the incident. He was 44 at the time of death.