Hotel chain owner Pramishka Vidyabhushana has broken her silence over swirling allegations, insisting she merely rented out her Havelock City apartments through official channels and had no links to drug suspects or fraudsters. But in a country where rumor often trumps fact, her defense has only added fuel to the fire.
The world of Sri Lankan politics, media, and high society often collides in ways that blur fact and fiction, and the latest controversy surrounding hotel chain owner Pramishka Vidyabhushana has become a case study in how narratives spiral into public spectacle. After weeks of speculation, accusations, and gossip linking her name to notorious figures, Pramishka has released a special statement clarifying her position.
The saga began when former Provincial Councilor Waruna Rajapaksa raised concerns about her properties in a program on his YouTube channel. He alleged that apartments owned by Pramishka at the upscale Havelock City housing complex had been tied to individuals facing serious criminal allegations, including financial fraud and narcotics charges. The program triggered a storm of public chatter and online criticism, casting shadows over her reputation.
Waruna Rajapaksa, who insists he always verifies his information and never bows to pressure to retract or delete content, later explained why he decided to feature Pramishka’s response on his own channel. “She expressed her views directly, openly, and without a third party intervening. It is only respectful to give her space to clarify her side,” he said. His gesture was meant as both acknowledgment and appreciation of her willingness to respond directly to the allegations.
In her statement, Pramishka outlined the sequence of events that brought her apartments into the spotlight. She clarified that she owns two apartments at Havelock City and had entrusted their leasing and rental arrangements entirely to Havelock City Rentals, the official management service of the complex. “When Havelock City Rentals finds a tenant, I meet them only once, and my lawyer completes all the paperwork,” she explained.
One of the apartments was rented to Thilini Priyamali, a name now infamous in Sri Lanka for her financial fraud cases. Pramishka stressed that she had never personally met Priyamali and only later discovered that the tenant was arrested. Priyamali not only failed to pay rent but also became a symbol of scandal, which unfairly dragged Pramishka’s name into the public narrative.
After Priyamali, the apartment was leased to a foreign tenant for a year. Once that lease expired, Havelock City Rentals secured another tenant. On this occasion, Pramishka recalls briefly meeting a young rugby player and his grandfather outside the apartment, describing it as their only interaction. Months later, she was blindsided by a call from Havelock City management, who informed her that police and the Narcotics Control Division were inside the apartment investigating alleged drug links.
The apartment was sealed during the investigation. According to Pramishka, no incriminating evidence was ever found inside the premises. She then presented all necessary documents, including legal title deeds and tax clearances—to the court. Satisfied with the paperwork, the judge ordered the apartment returned to her. “I acted appropriately and legally at every step, and I had no knowledge of the backgrounds of these individuals,” she insisted.
Pramishka also emphasized that much of the criticism she has faced in recent months is based on misinformation and unfair assumptions. “There has been a lot of unfair public criticism and misinformation about me, and none of these allegations are true. I request that facts be verified before spreading harmful statements,” she declared. She stressed again that both apartments were managed by Havelock City Rentals and all administrative responsibilities, from tenant selection to documentation, were handled through official channels and her lawyer.
From her perspective, the fact that criminal charges were later brought against tenants does not make her responsible. She maintains that as the legal owner, she had no direct role in their personal dealings, only in providing the leased property through the legitimate rental service.
Meanwhile, Waruna Rajapaksa’s commentary highlighted that the facts he initially presented regarding tenants Thilini Priyamali and the rugby player linked to drug allegations—were accurate. However, he conceded that Pramishka’s version showed she had outsourced administrative duties to the Havelock City Rentals office. “The program explained that ultimately it is her responsibility to give her explanation. Beyond that, further intervention ends here. It is now up to the audience and the authorities to examine the facts correctly and proceed as necessary,” Waruna concluded.
Pramishka’s defense highlights a broader problem in Sri Lanka: the rapid spread of allegations through social media and the difficulty of controlling reputational damage once a narrative takes hold. Her plea to verify facts before spreading harmful claims reflects a reality where online chatter often outweighs legal process. In her telling, she is a landlord who followed procedure, used official rental services, and relied on her lawyer. But in the court of public opinion, ownership alone was enough to make her a target.
The Havelock City apartments saga is more than just a property dispute. It has become a collision point between politics, public anger, and personal reputation. With names like Thilini Priyamali tied to her properties, the optics alone are damaging, regardless of her insistence on innocence. For the public, hearing her explanation may not undo months of speculation, but it does highlight how quickly half-truths and rumors can escalate.
Her case underscores the importance of transparency in both property dealings and media reporting. It also raises questions about responsibility should landlords be held accountable for tenants’ crimes when rentals are handled through third parties? Or is this another example of Sri Lanka’s tendency to conflate unrelated issues into political scandal?
In the end, Pramishka Vidyabhushana has made her position clear: she distances herself entirely from the tenants’ criminal allegations, places responsibility on Havelock City Rentals for tenant management, and appeals for fairness in judgment. Whether the public accepts her explanation remains to be seen.
