Shavendra Silva has gone on a private jet trip and many people have expressed concern on the use of budget allocations for such expenses on social media networks.

The dispersal parade of 329 cadets consisting of four cadets of the Sri Lanka Army Academy who studied Cadet Officer Course No-153 of the Indian Army Academy in Dehradun area of New Delhi, India was held last Saturday (December 09).

Sri Lanka Chief of Defense Staff General Shavendra Silva was the chief guest at the invitation of Lieutenant General Vijay Kumar Mishra AVSM, Commander of the Indian Army Academy.

When asked about the visit of General Shavendra Silva, the media spokesman of the Ministry of Defense, Colonel Nalin Herath, said that the Air India flight in which General Shavendra Silva traveled from Sri Lanka to India was a special jet of the Indian Air Force. Colonel Nalin Herath confirmed to Fact Seeker that the jet traveled from Delhi to the Indian Army College in Dehradun.

Colonel Nalin Herath stated that the Sri Lankan government did not incur any expenses for this trip and this trip was entirely sponsored by the Indian government at the expense of the security forces.

Also, a statement from the Indian Army Academy confirmed that General Shavendra Silva attended the swearing-in ceremony as the Chief Guest.

Also watch the video clip of General Shavendra Silva attending the ceremony at the Indian Army Academy, Dehradun here.

Therefore, Fact Seeker confirms that the news circulating on social media that Chief of Defense Staff General Shavendra Silva took a flight with Sri Lankan money is not true.

Social media posts that General Shavendra Silva traveled in a special jet have been correctly identified, and the allegation that public funds were misused for the trip is false.