However, the head of his security contingent had managed to find the lost stone and was amply rewarded in return.

The minister had gone to a famed jewellery store in Colombo to reattach the stone to his ring when he had been very surprised with what he had heard.

The manager, who had examined the stone, had said that it was worth around Rs. 03 million.

In return, the minister had revealed how the stone had come to be his.

Dissanayake has said that it was gifted to him when he had appeared as a witness to a wedding at the house of the Guruge Gems owner, around 17 years ago.

Initially, it was the then President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga who was to sign as a witness but she was unable to attend due to an unavoidable circumstance.

Dissanayake had appeared as a witness instead and was gifted the stone by the gem businessman.