A Criminal Investigation Department (CID) team visited Parliament on 20 December and questioned three officials, including the Assistant Secretary General of Parliament, regarding the incorrect use of the title “Dr.” before the name of Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara.

The probe was initiated after Minister Nanayakkara filed a formal complaint with the CID, stating that he had never held a doctorate and suggesting that the error could be a deliberate attempt to harm his reputation or erode public trust in his political career.

As part of the investigation, CID officials recorded statements from parliamentary staff to determine how the error occurred and who might be responsible.

The controversy arose when the Parliament website incorrectly listed the Minister’s name as “Dr. Harshana Nanayakkara.” The title was removed after the Minister’s complaint, with the Parliamentary Secretariat later confirming in a letter that it was an error in uploading the data.