Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake informed Parliament yesterday that there were four sitting MPs who had been involved in ethanol business under the previous regime. They had not even paid the relevant taxes, the minister also stated.

Answering a question from JVP leader and MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Karunanayake stated that the names of those MPs could not be revealed to the House.

However, the minister said that he was ready to reveal to MP Dissanayake the names of those who conducted ethanol business.

MP Dissanayake demanded to know whether former ministers, MPs chief ministers and provincial councilors had not paid taxes.

“Four MPs of the previous regime obtained licences to import ethanol. But, we cannot reveal their names. They have not paid taxes to the Excise Department. During the last two months the Excise Department has received more than four million rupees as tax revenue," Karunanayake stated.