Speaking to media outside the CID premises, Minister Samaraweera said that he has complained over an anti-state conspiracy that had taken place at Temple Trees.

He said that reliable sources cited that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the then defence secretary - Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Chief Justice Mohan Peiris, former foreign minister - G.L. Peiris and provincial councillor Udaya Gammanpila had met at Temple Trees while votes were being counted in the wee hours of Jan. 09.

As the results were proving to be unfavourable to them, they had conspired to impose a state of emergency and to prevent the results from being released, he added.

They had even conspired to deploy troops from the Panagoda military camp to surround the office of the Elections Commissioner, the minister further said.

Fortunately, this conspiration was thwarted over the intervention of the IGP, the Army commander and the Attorney General, who had sternly refused to comply with this anti-democratic act, minister Samaraweera said.

"However, it is a very serious conspiracy. Therefore, I have filed this complaint with the CID, urging for a properly conducted probe immediately," the Foreign Minister said.