MP Rishad Bathiudeen has lodged a complaint with the CID seeking a formal inquiry into a false statement made by Minister Wimal Weerawansa on March 09, 2021 and to take legal action.

Bathiudeen said Weerawansa falsely accused his brother of having a telephne conversation with Zaharan Hashim, the mastermind behind the Easter Sunday attacks.

The MP said Weerawansa's statement was malicious and aimed at misleading the public over a highly controversial matter.

In his complaint, Bathiudeen asserted that neither he nor his bother had maintained any links with Zaharan or his groups. The former Minister, a prominent figure in the previous government, came under severe criticism from manty quarters in the wake of the Easter Sunday attacks due to his alleged links with extremist groups.