Member of Parliament Wimal Weerawansa has filed a lawsuit against the Sri Lankan government, demanding Rs. 1000 million in damages. The legal action, submitted to the Colombo District Court, targets the Immigration Department and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for allegedly making false accusations against Weerawansa, accusing him of using illegal passports.

The lawsuit names two officers from the Immigration & Emigration Department and the Attorney General as respondents. The case dates back to October 23, 2015, when Weerawansa was detained at Bandaranaike International Airport while en route to Dubai. Immigration officials reportedly found his diplomatic passport inactive, leading to his arrest by CID officers. Weerawansa claims the arrest was unwarranted and has severely damaged his reputation.

After nearly nine years of legal battles, the Negombo Magistrate’s Court acquitted Weerawansa of all charges in April this year.