Sri Lankan journalist Nirosh Maithree, has sent a letter of demand to Factcrescendo – Sri Lanka and its parent company Crescendo Transcription Pvt Ltd, seeking Rs. 100 million in damages over what he claims to be a defamatory and false fact-check published by the organization.
The legal notice, issued through attorney-at-law B.M. Thamila Dinushi Perera, alleges that Factcrescendo falsely labeled a Facebook post made by Maithree on February 8, 2025, as “digitally manipulated” and misleading, without verifying its authenticity.
The original post referenced a controversial post from the official Tamil-language Facebook page of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, which included an image of Sitha Arambepola with offensive language. The original post was later deleted from the President’s page.
In his post, Maithree speculated that the controversial content may have been mistakenly published by a page administrator, citing similar incidents under previous administrations. However, Factcrescendo claimed in its fact-check that the screenshot was digitally altered using tools like Photoshop and deemed the content unauthentic. The fact-check included a screenshot of Maithree’s post, which, according to the legal notice, implied intentional fabrication.
The legal letter further argues that Factcrescendo’s actions damaged Maithree’s professional reputation, credibility, and business interests, including a decline in online reviews.
Although the original fact-check article was later edited by Factcrescendo to include reader feedback suggesting the controversial post did appear on the President’s official page, Maithree’s legal team states that the outlet failed to properly update the public or issue a formal clarification.
The notice demands that Factcrescendo:
1. Remove all false and defamatory statements across all platforms,
2. Issue a public apology and correction,
3. Pay Rs. 50 million for reputational damages,
4. Pay another Rs. 50 million for harm caused to dignity and self-esteem.
It also warns that failure to comply will result in legal action being initiated without further notice. (NewsWire)