{"id":170645,"date":"2016-11-20T10:16:08","date_gmt":"2016-11-20T04:46:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=170645"},"modified":"2016-11-20T10:38:28","modified_gmt":"2016-11-20T05:08:28","slug":"sirisena-stooge-bopage-targets-derana-tv","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/sirisena-stooge-bopage-targets-derana-tv\/","title":{"rendered":"Sirisena Stooge Bopage Targets Derana TV"},"content":{"rendered":"

Controversial Secretary to the Ministry of Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media\u00a0Nimal Bopage<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0who was found guilty by COPE of multiple charges of corruption when he was the Chairman of the National Human Resource Development Council (NHRDC) during former President\u00a0Mahinda Rajapaksa\u2019s regime, is now conducting an inquiry against Derana TV.<\/p>\n

\"Bopage\"<\/a>

Bopage<\/p><\/div>\n

As Colombo Telegraph reported last September<\/span><\/a> he is facing a fresh crisis over his alleged involvement in a corruption case amounting to Rs.100 million, with both the\u00a0COPE\u00a0and the\u00a0FCID receiving fresh complaints requesting them to carry out investigations against Bopage.<\/p>\n

The Attorney General in March this year advised necessary legal action against Bopage, but he was appointed to the powerful position of Secretary to the Ministry of Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media two months later by President Maithripala Sirisena, despite corruption charges.<\/p>\n

To cover up his sins worth Rs. 100 million he has now started to suppressing the media.<\/p>\n

Representing\u00a0the interests of the Maithripala Sirisena\u2019s camp last September, he ordered SLBC<\/span><\/a> Chairman Nanda\u00a0Muruttettuwegama to cancel the SLBC Board meeting, where he (Bopage) has no powers to cancel a Board meeting of a statutory institution such as SLBC.<\/p>\n

Derana TV has become the latest target of pro-Maithripala Sirisena media secretary Nimal Bopage, calling for explanation on a news item aired on 12th\u00a0October. The news item was based on President Maithripala Sirisena\u2019s address<\/span><\/a> at the \u201cSathviru Sanhinda<\/em>\u201d ceremony at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute on the 12th\u00a0October, where in his comments the President expressed his dissatisfaction with instances of Independent Commissions acting on hidden agendas.<\/p>\n

He pointed out instances where ex-army personnel were being subject to inquiries and added in particular, that he was opposed to three\u00a0ex-Navy Commanders\u00a0and the former Defence Secretary recently being summoned to court.<\/p>\n