National People’s Power (NPP) MP Najith Indika says there was no reason to bring forth four witnesses requested by the opposition before the Parliamentary Special Committee investigating the release of 323 containers from the Colombo Port without mandatory physical inspection.

When inquired by Newswire, Indika revealed that the opposition could not provide valid reasons to summon the witnesses.

“At yesterday’s meeting we did not oppose the summoning of any witness. This is an investigative committee, and it has been conducting a systematic probe into the matter. New witnesses cannot simply be added outside of the procedure we have followed thus far. There must be clear relevance for summoning a witness. We therefore asked the opposition to establish the relevance of calling the four individuals. We conveyed that we are prepared to consent to summoning them if the opposition can submit their relevance to the investigation in the coming days or weeks, but they failed to establish the relevance,” he said. 

Indika acknowledged that a vote took place. “Ajith Perera’s claim that a request to summon four key witnesses was defeated in a vote is completely wrong,” he said, adding that political stunts would not be allowed to influence the process.

MP Najith Indika further alleged that the opposition was attempting to undermine the credibility of the Parliament Select Committee. 

His remarks come in response to earlier claims by Opposition MP Ajith P. Perera, who said a request to summon President and Finance Minister Anura Kumara Dissanayake, former Ports Minister Bimal Ratnayake, former Deputy Minister Janitha Ruwan Kodithuwakku, and the Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development was rejected by government members in a majority vote.

Opposition members argued that their testimony was vital to clarify questions surrounding the decision to release the 323 containers without mandatory inspection. In a letter dated April 7, 2026, addressed to Committee Chairman Harshana Nanayakkara, they formally requested the summoning of these witnesses.

MP Ajith Perera claimed that, however, government members rejected the request in a majority vote. (Newswire)

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