Minister Champika Ranawaka is accused of threatening, ordering the abduction and trying to kill the new car owner

Munsiri Kankanamge Indika Dilruk Hemantha accused a close ally of President Mahinda Rajapaksa of threatening, abducting and trying to kill him.

Hemantha who has bought the luxury vehicle from leader of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) party, Ellawala Medhananda thero, said he was threatened to sell the car back by two senior JHU leaders.

Minister 'superviced' abduction

Environmental Affairs minister, Champika Ranawaka, and head of Environmental Authority, Udaya Gammanpila, personally supervised the abduction in which Hemantha was kept in a vehicle overnight, he told journalists in Colombo.

I feared my life was in danger when Minister Ranawaka threatened me to get into his vehicle in Godagama Dilruk Hemantha

The Buddhist monk-led JHU is a key ally of Rajapaksa administration.

Dilruk Hemantha who regularly travels to Japan for business purposes said he requested his coordinator, Bandula Liyanage, to buy the luxury vehicle belonged to JHU leader on his behalf.

"Minister Ranawaka and Gammanpila threatened me to bring back the vehicle," Hemantha said.

When JHU leaders were made aware that the media personnel were informed of the incident, Hemantha said, he was taken away by Ranawaka's supporters who constantly telephoned the minister and Gammanpila during the night.

Life in danger

"Both Ranawaka and Gammanpila came twice to the car and talked to the abductors in Godagama and near Avissawella," he said.

"I feared my life was in danger when Minister Ranawaka threatened me to get into his vehicle in Godagama".

Both Ranwaka and Gammanpila came twice to the car and talked to the abductors in Godagama and near Avissawella Dilruk Hemantha

Later, Hemantha said, he was forced to make a statement to Homagama police denying media reports of abducting him.

Hemantha who said he was shown the vehicle permit bearing Medhananda thero's name by the middleman who sold it for Rs. 13 million.

"Minister Ranawaka agreed to pay me Rs. 5.2 million but I disagreed," Hemantha said alleging that the monk MP has sold the permit to the middleman for Rs. 5.2 million.

He insisted he was still ready to hand over the vehicle back to the JHU provided the party pays his money back.

Illegal sale

Sri Lanka's parliamentarians are allowed to import luxury cars without paying tax, but it is an offence to sell them before five years.

	JHU rejects accusations of abducting the new car owner

The JHU monk-parliamentarians, who were elected in April 2004, are accused by the UNP of cashing in by illegally selling their cars.

Speaking with BBC sandeshaya earleir in the week, Udaya Gammanpila said JHU is not aware of any person by the name of Nishantha Hemantha and there is no reason for JHU to abduct anyone.

He accused the United National Party leader Ranil Wickremasinghe as the first opposition leader who has been involved in motor vehicle robbery.