Sajin de Vaas Gunawardena, who served as the Monitoring MP of the External Affairs Ministry under the Rajapaksa regime, had claimed his lavish wine and dinining bills under ‘miscellaneous expenditure.’

The bills in question are from Gunawardena’s official visits to Washington D.C, reports say.

Among his extraordinarily expensive orders were a Rs. 31,000 Wagyu Ribeye and a Rs. 38,000 Special Japanese Wagyu Sirloin at the BLT Steak in Washington D.C.

Wagyu beef is a highly exclusive beef from Wagyu cattle, a genetically unique breed.

These cattle are fed grain and sometimes even massaged to ensure tender, high quality beef.

However, most of the taxpayer money misused by Gunawardena was spent on a wide variety of wine and liquor.

Along with the two glasses of Rs. 26,000 Remy Martin Louis XIII cognac at the Fogo de Chão in Washington D.C., Gunawardena had ordered Tito’s vodka, Tanqueray gin, Jameson Irish whiskey, Johnnie Walker Black Label, Glenlivet whiskey and several cocktails (Long Island Iced Teas, Mojitos, Caipiroscas).

He had also enjoyed four bottles of Banfi Brunello di Montalcino, a Tuscan wine, for Rs. 69,000.

The bill dated on the 17th of July, 2014, came to a total of Rs. 420,000, which included a tip of Rs. 64,000, reports say.

In a Rs. 280,000 bill from Joe’s Seafood (also in D.C.) dated on the 20th September last year, the food only amounts to 35% of the bill.

The other 65% is divided among a Rs. 50,000 (US$ 370) charge for liquor and a Rs. 127,000 (US$ 947) charge for 4 bottles of wine.

Two of the bottles were Didier Dagueneau, a brand of French Sauvignon blanc and the other two Ciacci Reserva, a brand of wine from Tuscany, Italy.

The liquor consumed includes Gunawardena’s favourites Jameson Irish whiskey, Johnnie Walker Black Label, Glenlivet whiskey along with Grey Goose vodka, Bombay Sapphire gin, and Hennessy cognac.

The total bill was Rs. 276,000, but Gunawardena also gave a generous tip of Rs. 60,500, reports further add.

No one can deny that Gunawardena has very good taste, but one wonders how anyone can justify lakhs of taxpayer money being spent on beef steaks and cognac, sources say.