Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has angrily rejected asylum seeker claims of mistreatment by an Australian official before they were handed over to the Sri Lankan navy.
The federal government usually declines to comment on "on water" operations, but Mr Morrison, who was in Sri Lanka on Wednesday for the commissioning of two Australian-donated patrol boats, reacted strongly to claims by an asylum seeker that he had been beaten by an Australian.
The minister "absolutely" rejected the "offensive" allegation.
Mr Morrison added Australia did not have concerns that returned asylum seekers would be abused in Sri Lanka, based on assurances given by that government to the former Labor government.
He was at a harbour where former Australian customs vessels Corio Bay and Hervey Bay, renamed Mihikatha and Rathnadeepa, were commissioned for maritime security and anti-people-smuggling operations.
According to the Sri Lankan navy, it has arrested at least 4300 people trying to migrate to Australia since 2009. They can face civil charges of seeking to depart without authorisation.
Mr Morrison's visit followed court appearances by 41 Sri Lankans who were intercepted by an Australian vessel off the Cocos Islands in June and then transferred to a Sri Lankan custody.
The court freed nine children and granted 27 adults bail but five, the alleged traffickers, are held in custody.
One of the asylum seekers, Damith Kaldera, told the Associated Press he was beaten by an Australian officer and forced to kneel after he protested mistreatment.
He said the group had set out from Batticaloa, intending to go to New Zealand.
Each asylum seeker paid 150,000 rupees ($1150) to people smugglers, with the promise of paying another 450,000 rupees after finding a job in New Zealand, he said.
But he says they were intercepted by Australian coast guard officials, who took them further out to sea and kept them there for a week without enough food and other essentials.
Meanwhile, another group of 153 asylum seekers remain on a customs boat in the Indian Ocean after their vessel was intercepted. Their case is before the High Court, with the government undertaking to give three days notice of any relocation plan.
Mr Morrison told reporters Australia's policy on illegal immigration was successful and no people-smuggling boats bound for Australia had arrived for nearly seven months.
Previously, about 1200 asylum seekers had died at sea while making the dangerous voyage to Australia.
"Buying a ticket on a boat is a ticket to a watery grave," he said.
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