Shiranthi Rajapaksa arrested in Colombo over charity pet scanner funds
Shiranthi Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka's former first lady and wife of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, was arrested in Colombo on Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
She is accused of misusing money from her charity, Siriliya Saviya Foundation, by raising funds for a PET scanner intended for a local cancer hospital even though the scanner had already been donated by the Chinese government.
Shiranthi Rajapaksa seeks anticipatory bail
This arrest comes as her son Namal faces his own legal battles over a 2013 Airbus deal.
Shiranthi just returned from Singapore for medical treatment and has applied for anticipatory bail. Her hearing is set for October 12.
She denies any wrongdoing, saying the money had not been misappropriated.
The Rajapaksa family, once powerful in Sri Lanka, has faced growing scrutiny since mass protests pushed them out of power in 2022.