Sri Lanka Mirror fully abides by the right to reply, and publishes here what he has sent us.

His letter says,

First it should be said that the property in question is located in Kalawana, not Kelaniya.

01.    The said property belonged to my grandfather Punchi Bandara Herath Pilapitiya

The deed is given below as X

02.     It was then inherited by my father Dhanapala Bandara Herath Pilapitiya.

The deed is given below as X1

03.     At the request of the then Kalawana MP (telecommunication minister) Abeyratne Pilapitiya, the property was handed over voluntarily to the state after obtaining compensation.

The relevant document is given below as X2

04.     Later, the state did not find the property useful and the chief minister at the time, my uncle Abeyratne Pilapitiya, got it alienated.

The relevant document is given below as X3

05.    Before I started my service in the judiciary, the said property was gifted to me by my father Dhanapala Bandara Herath Pilapitiya on 12.09.1991.

The relevant document is given below as X4

The said property, including a two-storey building was given to the state for more than 10 years, and the divisional secretary requested me to use it to start a filling station, a badly felt need for the area. If I was not to start the business, the DS requested me to handover 40 perches to the state.

06.    Since the CPC does not issue licenses to persons other than the owner of the property, I, as its owner at the time, applied for a license. However, the license was issued only after I became a judge.

The relevant document is given below as X5

07.     Deciding that it was improper for me, as a judge, to start the business, I sold the property to D.K.W. Traders.

The relevant deed is given below as X6

08.    D.K.W. Traders and I entered into an agreement after I sold the property.

The agreement is given below as X9

Editor’s note: We deeply regret any pain of mind or disgrace caused to justice Gihan Pilapitiya from the said article.