Daijiworld Media Network - Colombo

Colombo, Oct 7: Former Sri Lankan first lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa was arrested on Wednesday over alleged financial irregularities involving the bank account of her NGO Sirliya Saviya.

Officers of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) arrested the 73-year-old at her residence in Polhengoda, a suburb of Colombo. She is the wife of former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Shiranthi Rajapaksa had returned from Singapore on Monday after undergoing medical treatment. Earlier, her lawyers had filed for anticipatory bail to prevent her arrest by the police’s Financial Crimes Division (FCID).

The FCID had asked her to appear before the agency on October 13. However, the bribery commission subsequently arrested her over allegations linked to the alleged misuse of funds obtained from a state bank.

According to the commission, she allegedly obtained LKR 10 million from a state bank and committed offences under the Public Property Act and corruption-related provisions through the alleged misuse of the funds.

She had travelled to Singapore around two weeks ago, and the FCID had served her a notice at the airport asking her to appear before the agency on September 24.

The FCID is investigating the activities of Sirliya Saviya, a foundation headed by Shiranthi Rajapaksa during her husband’s presidency from 2005 to 2015.

Her elder son, Namal Rajapaksa, a lawmaker from the opposition Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, has been in Colombo Remand Prison since September 4 in connection with two separate cases involving alleged bribery.