Sri Lanka ex-first lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa held in graft case

Sri Lanka's anti-graft agency arrested former first lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa over alleged misuse of public funds. The move deepens scrutiny of the Rajapaksa family and widens a politically sensitive corruption probe.Stock photo used for illustrationColombo,Oct 7, 2026 19:32 ISTSri Lanka's anti-graft agency on Wednesday arrested former first lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa in a corruption case over the alleged misuse of LKR 10 million in public funds. The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, or CIABOC, also arrested former foreign minister Rohitha Bogollagama and former state bank chief Pradeep Kariyawasam in separate cases.Rajapaksa, 73, the wife of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, was taken into custody over allegations linked to her NGO, Siriliya Saviya, and funds borrowed from the state-run National Savings Bank. She is the first former first lady in Sri Lanka's history to be arrested in a corruption investigation. She was later produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court, which remanded her to judicial custody till October 13.According to investigators, the LKR 10 million, about USD 30,251, was collected by Siriliya Saviya to provide a CT scanner to the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children in Colombo. The machine was not provided and the money was allegedly misappropriated.Rajapaksa was arrested at her residence in Kirulapone after CIABOC officials recorded her statement. Her arrest came two days after she returned to Sri Lanka from overseas, where she had travelled for medical treatment. Her lawyers had also filed an anticipatory bail application seeking to prevent her arrest in connection with the probe into the financial affairs of Siriliya Saviya. The arrest is the latest development in anti-corruption investigations involving members of the Rajapaksa family, which dominated Sri Lankan politics for years. Mahinda Rajapaksa was president from 2005 to 2015, while his younger brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa was forced to resign as president in 2022 after mass protests during Sri Lanka's economic crisis. Rajapaksa's eldest son and opposition MP Namal Rajapaksa has also faced corruption investigations and is now in remand custody in separate cases. The family has previously denied corruption allegations and described several cases against its members as politically motivated.In another high-profile arrest on Wednesday, CIABOC took Bogollagama into custody over the alleged misuse of funds belonging to the Board of Investment. The case relates to allegations that, as investment promotion minister in 2006, he directed the BOI chairman to approve about LKR 1.5 million, or around USD 4,538, above the amount authorised by the Treasury for an investment promotion event in London. Bogollagama had served as Sri Lanka's High Commissioner in London until the end of 2024. The case was filed in 2015. He had later failed to appear before court, after which proceedings were ordered to continue in his absence and an open warrant was issued for his arrest. CIABOC arrested him after he appeared before the commission on Wednesday to give a statement.CIABOC also arrested Kariyawasam, former chairman of the National Savings Bank and husband of former chief justice Shirani Bandaranayake, in connection with the investigation involving Rajapaksa's organisation. He has been accused of involvement in approving the funds linked to the Siriliya Saviya investigation. He was later released on bail.The case carries added political significance as Bandaranayake was impeached and removed as chief justice in 2013 during Mahinda Rajapaksa's presidency. Her removal had triggered criticism and controversy over the independence of Sri Lanka's judiciary. With Wednesday's arrests, the anti-graft commission widened the cases linked to alleged financial misconduct involving senior political and public figures.With PTI Inputs- Ends