Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said President Maithripala Sirisena lied when he said the Prime Minister requested him to appoint Dilrukshi Dias Wickremasinghe as a Supreme Court judge.

Wickremasinghe is currently mired in a controversy over an alleged telephone conversation with Avant-Garde chief Nissanka Senasdhipathy. The Bribery Commission, of which Wickremasinghe was the Director General, probed multiple allegations leveled against Avant-Garde.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said he never overstepped his authority to violate the Constitution. In a veiled attack on the President, the Prime Minister said the Supreme Court had given rulings on those violated the Consitution.

Wickremesinshe said he was puzzled as to why President Sirisena had resorted to unleashing verbal attacks on him two months ahead of the Presidential election.

He also denied the President's claim that Wickremasinghe was employed by the Temple Trees.

The Anti-Corruption Secretariat was never a part of Temple Trees and Wickremasinghe had no connection whatsoever with the Temple Trees, the Prime Minister said.

He said a thorough investigation must be carried out into the conduct of Wickremasinghe.