The SLFP central committee, at a disciplinary inquiry, has cleared minister Mervyn Silva of a charge that he had threatened the media.

The committee has taken the decision to clear him after the minister disowned the related remarks published in the media.

At the central committee, minister Pavitra Wanniarachchi has said that everything published in the media cannot be taken as true.

It is improper to punish someone on the basis of media reports, she said.

However, several SLFP seniors have pointed out that external affairs minister G.L. Peiris was at a loss for words when US secretary of state Hillary Clinton inquired from him about a remark attributed to minister Silva that he would break the limbs