Sri Lanka, Nov. 5 -- The payment of Rs. 101 million by the government to a private TV channel to fund the Asian Broadcasting Union (ABU) conference in Colombo came under scrutiny in Parliament yesterday, as an Opposition MP questioned how it happened when former Minister Basil Rajapaksa was sued for a similar offence.

SJB MP Mujibur Rahman yesterday raised concerns that the government had released Rs. 101 million to a private TV channel to fund the Asian Broadcasting Union (ABU) conference in Colombo questioning how the Treasury had released funds for the purpose.

"We have information that the government has released Rs 101 million to spend for the ABU conference which was held in Colombo. The Minister in charge of Mass Media said stat...