Perera has made the statement over claims that Perpetual Treasuries, owned by Aloysius, has earned undue profits from the Central Bank bond issue.

When Lakshman Kiriella and other key members of the UNP raised this with Ranil Wickremesinghe, the prime minister told them that what Perera has said was not the party’s viewpoint.

Legal experts of the UNP say Aloysius cannot be prosecuted on criminal charges, contrary to what Perera has said, as he had not been a director of Perpetual Treasuries at the time of the bond issue.

Therefore, Perera’s remark has given rise to major suspicions, according to the sources.