From Sri Lanka’s Most Powerful Political Family to a Jail Cell: Former First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa Arrested
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka —07/10/2026.
A dramatic new chapter has opened in the political saga of Sri Lanka’s once-dominant Rajapaksa family.
Former First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, wife of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, has been arrested by Sri Lanka’s anti-corruption authorities over allegations linked to the alleged misuse of Rs. 10 million received from a state-owned bank through her Siriliya Saviya organisation.
The arrest marks a striking moment for a family that, only a few years ago, stood at the centre of Sri Lanka’s political power.
Shiranthi Rajapaksa was arrested by officers of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) at the Colombo residence where former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is staying. She was subsequently produced before court and remanded until October 13.
Allegations surrounding a charity donation
According to investigators, the case concerns funds obtained from the National Savings Bank through the Siriliya Saviya organisation. Authorities allege that the money was connected to plans to provide medical scanning equipment for a children’s hospital, but that the funds were allegedly misused.
Shiranthi Rajapaksa has denied wrongdoing and, through her lawyers, has indicated that she will contest the allegations. Her defence has argued that the funds remain in the organisation’s bank account.
The former chairman of the state-owned bank involved in the transaction was also arrested in connection with the investigation but was later released on bail.
From political dominance to unprecedented scrutiny
The arrest carries significance far beyond the individual case.
The Rajapaksa family once wielded extraordinary political influence in Sri Lanka. Mahinda Rajapaksa served as president from 2005 to 2015, while members of the wider family occupied several senior positions in government during the family’s period of dominance. (AP News)
The family’s political fortunes changed dramatically after Sri Lanka’s severe economic crisis and the mass protests of 2022, which ultimately forced President Gotabaya Rajapaksa — Mahinda’s younger brother — to resign and leave the country. (AP News)
Now, former members of the Rajapaksa political establishment are facing renewed investigations under President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s anti-corruption agenda.
Shiranthi’s arrest therefore represents more than another corruption investigation. It is a powerful symbol of how dramatically Sri Lanka’s political landscape has changed — from a period when the Rajapaksas appeared virtually untouchable to a moment when even the former First Lady is being held pending investigation.
The Rajapaksa family has repeatedly rejected corruption allegations against its members and has described some cases as politically motivated. (South China Morning Post)
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