The Nationwide Lotteries Board (NLB) has introduced plans to pursue strict authorized motion in opposition to the spouse of MP Hesha Vithanage and the sister-in-law of former Minister – Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, who allegedly defaulted over Rs.12 million in lottery ticket gross sales as district brokers.
NLB Chairman – M.D.C.A. Perera said at a press briefing yesterday (Oct. 29) on the Peace Middle in Colombo, that a number of different brokers, appointed on suggestions from former ministers together with Duminda Dissanayake and Navin Dissanayake, have additionally defaulted on funds amounting to hundreds of thousands of rupees.
Perera mentioned, “A gross sales agent in Kuliyapitiya, really useful by former Training Minister – Akila Viraj Kariyawasam in 2016, has not paid Rs.9,878,000. Beneath the Public Property Act, even non-payment of Rs.100,000 requires a grievance to be filed with the Felony Investigation Division. Equally, Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Nandani, really useful by MP – Hesha Withanage, owes Rs. 2.1 million which has not been paid regardless of repeated notices. The Fraud Investigation Division is now trying into these circumstances.”
He added that different defaults embrace Ok.D. Dharmapala (Rs.2,370,000, really useful by Duminda Dissanayake) and D.J. Perera (Rs.609,000, really useful by Navin Dissanayake in 2011).
Perera additionally careworn that the NLB has already paid all prize cash and taxes owed, and these circumstances shall be totally introduced to the COPE committee subsequent month.
In the meantime, NLB Common Supervisor – A.M. Arif responded to social media claims by one Asela Sampath alleging that the variety of lottery winnings have declined.
Refuting Mr. Sampath’s claims, Mr. Arif said that 41 tremendous prizes have been issued in 2024, whereas 40 have been issued as much as September 2025. He added that the variety of first prizes elevated from 881 in 2024 to 1,055 in 2025, with a complete prize cash paid in 2025 reaching Rs.474 million, the very best ever in Sri Lanka.
The Board distributed Rs. 4.4 billion in 2024 and Rs.4.1 billion in 2025, allocating Rs.32 million to the Kidney Fund in 2025, anticipated to rise to Rs. 57 million by September, he famous.
Arif added, “We promote round 3.7 million tickets every day, bringing in practically Rs. 150 million every single day. All our operations are clear, and the general public is handled pretty. Deceptive claims about prize cash and operations are unacceptable.”
(Supply: Dinamina)
