Four persons including some staff members of the late Anura Bandaranaike have filed petitions in the District Court of Colombo claiming that they inherit the estate of the late Bandaranaike through his Last Will. They have challenged the papers filed by Sunethra Bandaranaike, who claimed that the property of Anura Bandaranaike has to be divided between her and Chandrika Bandaranaike.

Anura Bandaranaike passed away on March 16 2008. Sunethra Bandaranaike had earlier told Court that no one had so far claimed the property which was estimated to be worth well over a billion rupees. She moved court to share the estate with Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga stating that Anura Bandaranaike had died intestate and they were the sole heirs of the deceased. However, there was unofficial information which stated that there was a last will which had been executed and attested in 1996, by Kandiah Neelakandan, Notary public of Colombo.

S.D.R. Derwin Saparamadu, one petitioner who challenged Sunethra Bandaranaike’s petition had told court that he was a close associate of late Bandaranaike, and that they were good friends for about 22 years. He has further informed the court that the Anura Bandaranaike had allocated his property for Anura Bandaranaike foundation and to his friends and staff members through his Last will.

Kiriella Gurunnanselage Ravindra Lal Perera, W.K.D. Sarath Chandrasinghe and S.A. Wasantha Samarasekera are the other petitioners who had filed separate petitions challenging the application of Sunethra Bandaranaike.