A phone recording purportedly featuring the voice of Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development Sunil Handunneththi has been circulating on social media, reigniting controversy over several rice containers stuck at the Colombo Port.
Today, the Minister lodged a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), alleging a coordinated campaign of character assassination. He claimed the campaign, primarily conducted via YouTube channels, involved distorting his voice and spreading false information.
Handunneththi said the CID complaint is only the first step, and he intends to pursue a full defamation lawsuit. He accused certain individuals—“rejected by public votes”—of turning to YouTube to discredit public representatives by fabricating stories that last “less than 24 hours” and resemble exaggerated political dramas.
The controversy arose after YouTubers linked the recording to allegations that he was involved in releasing 323 containers, a claim echoed by the Opposition. Handunneththi clarified that the recording relates to an inquiry about five rice containers imported without proper licences. He explained that the person who approached him had requested that these containers be taken into government custody and distributed free to the public.
The Minister said he contacted the Director General of Customs for guidance and informed the individual that free distribution was impossible because the rice would first need to be confiscated due to licensing issues. Even if confiscated, the government would face Rs. 8.4 million in demurrage and customs charges. Handunneththi suggested the individual may have initiated the smear campaign after realizing the consignment could not be released.
He also questioned the use of a United Nations human rights body’s name on a letterhead, insisting the authenticity of the document be investigated. The Minister accused those circulating the manipulated recording of acting with deliberate malice, forcing him to repeatedly explain the situation to the CID during the budget session instead of focusing on his ministry, which oversees over 40 institutions.
Handunneththi maintained he has nothing to fear from slander, emphasizing that he and his colleagues will not be brought down by fabricated claims. He urged those behind the campaign to enter Parliament through democratic means and critique him for genuine faults, which he would accept and correct, rather than resorting to malicious fabrications and voice distortions.
