Power and Energy Deputy Minister Ajith P. Perera categorically stated at the government Parliamentary group meeting yesterday that Perpetual Treasuries owner Arjuna Aloysius was a fraudster.

"I have nothing to do with a person like that. I haven't seen him nor have I spoken to him," the UNP stalwart added, demanding action against the Perpetual Treasuries Owner who is also the son in law of former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran.

Speaking at the parliamentary group meeting yesterday, Perera said he was only responding to a missed call from an unknown number, when Arjun Aloysius called him.

Perera said that if proper records of the calls were obtained there would be proof that there were only two missed calls between the two parties: “He had called me first, and I had missed the call. I called him back later but the call was never answered,” the Deputy Minister said.

He added that this was confirmed by the detailed bill he obtained from the mobile service provider. 

He said that he had always held that Arjun Aloysius was a crooked businessman and that he had not deviated from that position.

“This call sheet with names and numbers of people who had reportedly spoken to Aloysius is like a ‘kala paththarey’,” the Deputy Minister said, adding that he had been victimised by this attempt. “There is no detailed investigation into if there was any conversation between the two parties or not."