Cricket Aravinda’s Stolen Cash Belongs To Black Money Dealer BBC Journo Aravinda

From The Colombo Telegraph

Colombo Telegraph reliably learns the cash including foreign currency worth Rs. 5.1 million that was stolen from former cricketer Aravinda De Silva’s home belongs to black money dealer who is presently attached to the BBC Sinhala Service – Thisara Aravinda Rathuwithana.

According to media reports that covered the theft, Aravinda and his wife had been out of the country when the incident took place. They had returned to find out the cash missing from the safe in his house. Aravinda has told media that the money belonged to a ‘friend’ and he held it for safekeeping but had not revealed the identity. Several other media outlets however reported the ‘friend’ is a son of a famous astrologer. “The person’s name is Thisara Aravinda Rathuwithana” a highly placed police source told Colombo Telegraph.

Colombo Telegraph made an expose on Thisara’s dealings and his black money. He is the son of President Rajapaksa‘s adviser and astrologer Piyasena Rathuwithana. Black money investor, Thisara Rathuvithana at the time he was recruited to the BBC, had no journalistic experience whatsoever. Even following the disclosure on Colombo Telegraph, BBC continued to provide him a five-day work contract without even launching a probe into the allegations.

He invested millions of his money in Lalith Kotelawala’s disgraced company Golden Key that collapsed in 2008. Meanwhile he has provided extensive media coverage to Aravinda De Silva last August without disclosing the obvious conflict of interest to the BBC authorities.

Colombo Telegraph has been unable to reach Rathuwithana for comment. According sources within the BBC Sinhala Service Rathuwithana is currently in Sri Lanka and event BBC Colombo correspondent is unable to contact him.