Wegapitiya, the chairman of Laugfs Gas, was appointed as a Director Board member by the President to Mobitel - Sri Lanka's national mobile service provider.

Sources also say that a small group is not on good terms with Wegapitiya, who is active when it comes to preventing anomalous financial transactions.

It is also said that the above group has attempted to keep Wegapitiya away from a transaction involving the purchase of a loss incurring communication company.

Under this backdrop, Wegapitiya has handed over his resignation from the Board to the President, who had declined to accept it.

Wegapitiya is also a close friend of Kumarasiri Sirisena, who is the SLT chairman and the President's brother.