Sri Lankan cricketer Chamika Karunaratne has declined a request to submit a DNA sample sought to establish the paternity of a child born to a female pilot, the Colombo Magistrate’s Court was informed yesterday(8).
When the matter was taken up before Additional Magistrate Kanchana Dasarathna yesterday (8), Attorney Asela Rekawa, appearing for Karunaratne, informed court that his client would not comply with the request to summon a DNA report.
Counsel Jerusa Tambaiya, appearing for the plaintiff pilot, submitted that Karunaratne had been in a relationship with her client with an intention to marry, and that a child was born as a result of that relationship. She told court that the cricketer had subsequently abandoned her client, and therefore sought a court order directing him to undergo a DNA test to confirm paternity.
However, Attorney Rekawa argued that Karunaratne does not accept paternity and that the court cannot compel him to undergo a DNA test. He maintained that the burden of proof rests with the plaintiff.
Rekawa further informed court that his client refuses both the DNA test and the claim of paternity.
After considering submissions from both parties, the Magistrate ordered that Karunaratne be released on a surety bond of Rs. 1 million and adjourned the case to 30 January.
