Former First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, wife of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, has been remanded until October 13 by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court following her arrest by the Bribery Commission. 

However, Additional Magistrate Darshima Premaratne has ordered prison officials to take steps to have the defendant taken to a private hospital in Colombo for medical treatment.

Meanwhile, the court has granted bail to former Chairman of the National Savings Bank (NSB) Pradeep Kariyawasam, who is former Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake’s husband, who had also been arrested by officers of the Bribery Commission in connection with the same case. 

Shiranthi Rajapaksa was arrested at her residence on Poorwarama Road in Kirulapone by officers of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) this morning (07).

According to the Bribery Commission, Rajapaksa was arrested after officers recorded a statement from her for nearly two hours pertaining to investigations into allegations of financial irregularities and transactions involving an account linked to the ‘Siriliya Saviya Fund’.

Meanwhile, Shiranthi Rajapaksa, who returned to Sri Lanka on Monday night (05), had been informed to appear before the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) on October 13.

She had reportedly departed for Singapore in the early hours of September 16 for medical treatment.

Rajapaksa had been admitted to a private hospital in Colombo on September 15 after reportedly falling ill. She was subsequently taken directly from the hospital to the airport, according to reports.

Meanwhile, attorneys representing Shiranthi Rajapaksa filed an anticipatory bail application before the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court on Monday (05), seeking an order to prevent her arrest in connection with an ongoing investigation into the financial affairs of the ‘Siriliya Saviya’ organisation.