Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe Arrested for Misuse of Government Funds

New Delhi: Ranil Wickremesinghe, who served as Sri Lanka’s President from 2022 to 2024, is arrested on Friday by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Colombo. Wickremesinghe arrested after allegations of misusing government funds to finance a private trip to London in September 2023, where he attended a graduation ceremony for his wife, Professor Maithree Wickremesinghe, at the University of Wolverhampton.

The trip was  misrepresented as an official engagement but was later found to be personal.  

Primary investigation reports suggests that state funds were used improperly, and a full fledged probe into financial misconduct is underway.

Former aides, including presidential secretary Saman Ekanayake and private secretary Sandra Perera, have also been questioned regarding their roles in arranging the visit.

This arrest is being seen as strong anti-corruption actions in Sri Lanka’s recent history. Wickremesinghe, a veteran politician and former Prime Minister, is now the most senior political figure to face arrest in years. 

The case dig deeper into the use of public funds by top Sri Lankan officials when the country continues to recover from a severe economic crisis. 

After the arrest court proceedings and formal charges are expected to follow. 

This is a developing story, and more details are likely to come up in the next few days.