In a letter to BOI chairman Upul Jayasuriya, its director Dilshan Fernando has claimed the money had been given by cheque.

A person by the name R.M.J.B. Ratnayake of Ratnatilake Nivasa, Gallangawatte, Nugawela (NIC no. 741382687V) had cashed the cheque from the Standard Chartered Bank branch at Rajagiriya.

A BOI employee, Ratnayake has said that he had been serving minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena and that he had cashed a cheque given him by the minister and handed him the money.

However, yapa said he never gave a cheque nor he knew a person by the name Ratnayake.

BOI sources say a BOI employee by the name R.M.J.B. Ratnayake had been attached to Yapa’s staff from 2013.