Describing the late visionary science fiction writer Arthur C Clarke as the 'pride of Sri Lanka', the country's government on Sunday said the decade-old allegations of paedophile levelled against him have been dropped.
"There will be no investigation on the matter. The chapter is closed. He is the pride of Sri Lanka," a senior official told PTI.
The British-born writer, who died on Wednesday aged 90 due to respiratory complications, was laid to rest on Saturday in his adopted homeland Sri Lanka as per his wishes.
A Presidential task force on the Prevention of Child Abuse had initiated an investigation into Clarke's conduct in 1988.
In February 1998, Clarke denied a story about him in this regard published in a British newspaper.
In a statement to the press, he said: "The accusations are such nonsense that I have found it difficult to treat them with the contempt that they deserve."
"I categorically state the article is grossly defamatory and contains statements, which in themselves and by innuendo are quite false, grossly inaccurate and extremely harmful.
"Having always had a particular dislike of paedophiles, few charges can be more revolting to me than to be classed as one. The allegations are wholly denied. My conscience is perfectly clear," the statement quoted the writer as saying.
The story had appeared just before Prince Charles was to visit Sri Lanka to bestow an honorary knighthood on Clarke.
Clarke had said then he had subsequently asked that his investiture be pushed back 'in order to avoid embarrassment to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales during his visit to Sri Lanka'.
The investiture was eventually held two years later.
The National Child Protection Authority also said there was no case against Clarke.
Clark, more known as a visionary science fiction writer, lived in Sri Lanka from 1956 until his death, having emigrated to the country when it was still known as Ceylon. He held citizenship of both the UK and Sri Lanka.
Clarke was laid to rest yesterday in a simple ceremony in a cemetery of his adopted family with whom he lived for decades.
An atheist, Clarke, who had donated six strands of his hair so that they can be sent into the space where he hoped aliens would one day make his clone, had in his will forbidden any religious ceremony or speeches at his funeral.
The simple ceremony was attended by his close relatives and a few others.
