By Dilrukshi Handunnetti
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka's former economic development minister and brother of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, was arrested Wednesday on allegations of large-scale corruption.
Basil Rajapaksa, also known as the political strategist within the Rajapaksa family, left the island the day after the decisive Jan. 8 presidential election was concluded, which saw the defeat of his brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, after two terms as the island's president.
Rajapaksa arrived in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo on Tuesday afternoon, and received a hero's welcome by Rajapaksa loyalists who were gathered outside Bandaranaike International Airport to receive him.
A controversial politician, Basil Rajapaksa arrived in Sri Lanka in order to record a statement with the newly set up Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) and was subsequently presented to a local magistrate. He was then arrested over allegations of financial frauds, reportedly committed through a specific project, known as Divi Neguma, a special government department established for poverty eradication.
Along with Rajapaksa, former Economic Development Ministry Secretary Nihal Jayatilaka and former Director General of the Divi Neguma Department, R.R.K. Ranawaka, were also arrested.
In anticipation of massive demonstrations by the supporters of the Bring back Mahinda (BBM) movement to oppose the arrest of the former economic development minister, the Colombo Magistrate Wednesday evening issued a prohibition order on all protests before the Commission Investigating Allegations of Bribery and Corruption (CIABOC).
