The impartiality of the self-proclaimed independent journalist Azzam Ameen has come into serious question with two telephone conversations he has had with remanded MP Ranjan Ramanayake being made public.
In one audio, the BBC Sinhala Service correspondent discusses the campaign of Sajith Premadasa in the run-up to the presidential election in December last year.
It reveals that Ameen was directly involved in political propaganda work.
However, he has been trying to portray himself as a being unbiased and aboveboard.
In a second phone conversation, Ramanayake and Ameen are speaking ill of Buddhist monks, with the journalist giving advise to the former deputy minister on how to tarnish their images.
In a related development, reports say Ramanayake’s phone conversations with present government politicians will next be made public.
Social media has been agog with the calls he has with judges, actresses and other society personalities.
Arrested on a charge of interfering in the activities of judges, Ramanayake has been remanded until January 29.
