Saralnama
Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department on August 22, 2025, over allegations of misusing state funds for a private trip to London in September 2023. The trip was to attend a convocation ceremony for his wife, Professor Maithree Wickremesinghe, at the University of Wolverhampton. Wickremesinghe was questioned after the investigation into the use of government resources for this visit, which occurred during his presidency. He denied the misuse, stating his wife covered her own travel expenses. The police also found that his bodyguard received a salary from the state treasury. Wickremesinghe was produced before the Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court following his arrest. This marks the first arrest of a former Sri Lankan executive president. The investigation included statements from his private and presidential secretaries. Wickremesinghe served as president from July 2022 to September 2024 and had attended a G77 summit in Havana before the London visit. (Updated 22 Aug 2025, 16:23 IST; source: link)