Yoshitha Rajapaksa, the second son of former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, was arrested this morning (January 25) by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in the Beliatta area. According to Senior Police Spokesperson SSP Buddhika Manatunga, the arrest was made under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
The CID acted on instructions from the Attorney General’s Department, which confirmed the existence of sufficient evidence to justify the arrest. Reports indicate that Rajapaksa was apprehended near the Beliatta entrance to the Southern Expressway.
The arrest is linked to an alleged fraudulent land purchase involving Yoshitha Rajapaksa and a property belonging to his aunt, Daisy Forrest. The land in question is located at No. 4 Kekatiya Mawatha, Ratmalana. The CID had previously questioned Rajapaksa regarding this transaction in recent days.
Police spokespersons have announced that Yoshitha Rajapaksa is scheduled to appear before the Colombo Magistrateās Court following the Attorney Generalās recommendations. Investigations into the case are ongoing, with further inquiries being conducted by the CID.
As of now, neither the Rajapaksa family nor their legal representatives have issued a statement regarding the arrest. The incident is expected to attract significant public and media attention as investigations proceed.
This development marks a notable turn in ongoing efforts to tackle financial irregularities and alleged corruption linked to prominent political figures in Sri Lanka.