UNP’s Ashu Marasinghe has withdrawn his Rs. 1.5 billion defamation case against Samagi Vanitha Balawegaya activist Hirunika Premachandra after she apologised and expressed regret before court over allegations made against him in 2022.

The case was filed by Marasinghe against Premachandra and his former wife Adarsha Karandana over statements linking him to an alleged act of animal sexual abuse.

The controversy emerged in December 2022 following Marasinghe’s resignation from his position as Parliamentary Affairs Adviser to then President Ranil Wickremesinghe. At the time, Premachandra had claimed during a media briefing that his resignation was connected to the circulation of a video related to the allegations.

Speaking at a media briefing today (19), representatives of Marasinghe said the matter had now been resolved through an agreement reached alongside the court proceedings. As part of the settlement, Premachandra conveyed her apology and regret before court regarding the defamatory statements made against him.

Marasinghe’s side said he appreciated Premachandra’s decision to acknowledge the matter and expressed satisfaction over the conclusion of the case.

Addressing the media, Marasinghe urged the public and political groups not to misuse social media and other platforms to spread distorted claims that harm individuals’ private lives. He also stressed the need for political discourse to move away from personal mudslinging and focus on substantive issues.

It was further noted that with the conclusion of the case, both parties representing the United National Party and the Samagi Jana Balawegaya had highlighted the importance of setting aside personal disputes and divisions.