MP Ali Sabri Raheem who was detained by Sri Lanka Customs for carrying undeclared gold and mobile phones yesterday, attended parliament today afternoon (24) after he was released and ordered to pay a fine.The MP who previously extended his support to the government, voted against the resolution moved by the government to oust the Public Utilities Commission Chairman Janaka Ratnayake from office.

“The consignment belongs to a friend of mine and I was blamed for it at the end of the day,” the MP told journalists in Parliament.

“I decided to vote against the motion to remove PUCSL Chairman Janaka Ratnayake from his post as both President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime minister Dinesh Gunawardena did not come to my rescue when I was faced with a difficulty,” he added.Meanwhile, speaking at a media briefing held after the vote, the ousted PUCSL Chairman said that it was not him but the citizens that were defeated.