Rajapaksa ordered probe in envoy assault case by MP

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Press Trust of India Colombo
Last Updated : Oct 03 2014 | 9:40 PM IST
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has ordered a probe into alleged assault of Sri Lanka's envoy to UK by a parliamentarian after the UN general assembly sessions last week in New York.
Sajin Vass Gunawardena, member of the Sri Lankan Parliament for Galle District, allegedly assaulted Chris Nonis, Sri Lanka's High Commissioner in London after a scuffle in New York last week.
Although Gunawardena has denied assaulting Nonis on a television station here, he has admitted to a heated argument with him.
Nonis was speculated to have offered his resignation.
The Government Information Department said that Rajapaksa has also ordered a probe into a complaint against Nonis lodged by a the top civil servant in the Ministry of External Affairs.
The main opposition United National Party (UNP), meanwhile, has demanded an inquiry into the incident, accusing the Rajapaksa government of making political appointments to the foreign service.
A heart surgeon Nonis, who started his term as the High Commissioner in 2011, was awarded the "Diplomat of the Year" for Asia at the Annual Diplomat Awards Ceremony in London.
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First Published: Oct 03 2014 | 9:40 PM IST

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