The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has filed a formal complaint with the Ministry of Mass Media, urging action against Hiru Media Network (Asia Broadcasting Corporation Pvt Ltd) over what it describes as a false broadcast claiming Sri Lanka paid USD 286 per barrel for crude oil.
In a letter to the Ministry Secretary, the CPC Chairman accused the broadcaster of “gravely misusing media freedom,” saying the April 16 report distorted international wire copy, misrepresented import details, and falsely implicated the CPC. The corporation says it has never purchased crude at or near $286 per barrel.
Despite CPC issuing an official clarification, Hiru continued to broadcast the claim, the letter alleges, this time attributing it to HSBC in a “distorted manner.” The chairman warned the misinformation could trigger public unrest, erode confidence in a nationally significant institution, damage international credibility and harm Sri Lanka’s relations with foreign suppliers and lenders.
The CPC has asked the ministry to launch an investigation, order a retraction and correction, review compliance with media standards, and impose regulatory measures to prevent recurrence. The chairman said freedom of expression “cannot shield the deliberate dissemination of false information that undermines the national economy.”
The move comes on top of an earlier Rs. 10 billion legal notice filed by Minister K.D. Lal Kantha over separate Hiru broadcasts about his 2025 asset declaration. ABC later retracted several figures from that segment, conceding the gross asset total was closer to Rs. 80 million rather than the Rs. 460 million initially reported.
In a separate notice on Monday, Hiru said it would send a “strong reply” to Lal Kantha within 24 hours. Deputy News Director Tharanga Dinusha Jayakody also said a document circulating online purporting to show Hiru seeking police protection was fabricated, describing it as an attempt to tarnish the network’s reputation.
The CPC’s earlier clarification on the $286 claim said the figure referenced the delivered cost of diesel during the Hormuz shock, not crude.
