Capital Maharaja journos storm into Derana Head Office

The police on Tuesday (24) detained three journalists attached to the Capital Maharaja Organisation Limited who unlawfully entered into the Derana Head Office in T.B. Jayah Mawatha, Colombo 10.

Derana administration summoned the police as the journos entered into the office without a prior permission and clandestinely had attempted to take footage.    

“Legal actions will be taken against those journs who unlawfully entered,” a senior police officer said.

A cameraman and two journalists who unlawfully entered the office claimed that they required obtaining a response to a news item which was telecasted by Ada Derana on Monday (24).

News item disclosed that the property at Echelon Square in Colombo Fort, opposite the World Trade Center, which sparked controversy recently over an ownership dispute, does not belong to the Capital Maharaja Organisation Limited. 

“The UDA Chairman Ranjith Fernanado stated that ownership of the property in question had caused a controversy, however, pointed out that the UDA has not accepted that the property belongs to a private company,” the news item said. 

On Saturday (21), a group of people from a private company had also attempted to forcible fence a government property in front of the World Trade Center. The group had claimed that the property is owned by the private company, however, the UDA had said the property, located near the Dutch Hospital Shopping Precinct, belongs to them.