Sri Lanka rejects allegations by former president

The newly elected Sri Lankan government on Thursday refuted allegations by former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, saying it was not taking any political revenge on him but was instead conducting bribery and corruption investigations against the former government. Government Media Minister Gayantha Karunathillake told Xinhua that the former president's allegations were baseless and that the present government was committed to charging all those involved in corrupt misdeeds. "The former President can say what he wants but this government has appointed a high level committee to investigate bribery charges against anyone involved in it. We will not tolerate such misdeeds due to the betterment of the country," the minister said.

The minister further refuted allegations that the former president's supporters were also being harassed, saying if anyone had a complaint, it would be investigated upon promptly by the police.

Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa earlier in the week urged the new government under the leadership of Maithripala Sirisena to stop taking revenge on him and his supporters.

Speaking to reporters in Kandy, Rajapakse said that it was the first time in his political history that his house was searched for something which was not there.

The police searched his home situated in the south of the country for a luxury sports car but did not find anything and Rajapaksa had raised disappointment over the search operation." When I go around I find that political revenge is taking place. This must stop," he said.

Rajapakse was defeated by Sirisena, his one time health minister, in the recently conducted presidential polls and following his defeat he and his family had moved into their ancestral home in Tangalle in the south of the country. Endi