State Intelligence Services (SIS) Director Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay has sent a Letter of Demand (LoD) to Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Nalin Bandara today for allegedly making defamatory remarks against Sallay over alleged links to the mastermind of Easter Sunday attacks. The SIS Chief earlier lodged a complaint with the CID against the MP over the statements he has made to media, falsely accusing Sallay of being linked to the Easter Sunday bombings. In the LoD, Attorney-at-Law Pasan Weerasinghe said on or about 17 March 2021, the MP had taken part in a press conference held at the Opposition Leader's Office and made several false statements regarding Sallay. “The MP has said that Zahran Hashim has met with Sallay in Malaysia. He also said the PCoI on Easter Sunday attacks has not summoned Sallay. Meanwhile, the MP has expressed similar remarks at a TV programme on or about March 18,” Attorney-at-Law Weerasinghe said. Weerasinghe said he was instructed to vehemently deny the MP’s allegation that his client has met the individual named Mohamed Cassim Mohamed Zahran at any given point of time. “I was also instructed to deny the allegation that my client has not completed the military course in India and to state that in a fact, my client has completed the said military course prior to returning to Sri Lanka. “More importantly, I am instructed to deny your allegation that my client, as the SIS Director, has not testified before the PCoI and to inform you that in fact, my client has duly taken part in the commission on more than five occasions and has provided testimony,” he said. While terming the statements made by the MP with regard to Sallay were ‘absolutely false, malicious and outright defamatory’, the counsel of Sallay demanded Rs.50 million in compensation for the damages the publication has caused him. “Legal proceedings will be taken against you to recover the amount with legal interest and cost of litigation if you fail to comply with the demand,” the counsel of Sallay said to MP Bandara.