By The Pulseline News Desk
Former First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, who returned to Sri Lanka last night after travelling overseas for medical treatment, has been directed to appear before the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) on October 13, according to police.
Shiranthi returned to the island from Malaysia, after leaving Sri Lanka on September 16 amid reports that she had travelled overseas for medical treatment.
Her return comes amid an ongoing FCID investigation into the financial affairs of the Siriliya Saviya organisation.
The Rajapaksa family has rejected reports that the former First Lady knowingly left the country while being subject to an earlier FCID summons.
The family has maintained that Shiranthi had not been informed of any FCID summons before she arrived at the airport to leave the country.
Meanwhile, lawyers representing Shiranthi filed an anticipatory bail application before the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court on Monday (5), seeking an order preventing her arrest in connection with the ongoing investigation. The application was filed as authorities continued their inquiries into the financial affairs of Siriliya Saviya, an organisation associated with the former First Lady.
Shiranthi’s appearance before the FCID on October 13 is expected to be significant in determining the next steps in the investigation, particularly amid the dispute over whether she had previously been notified to appear before the investigators.
The latest development also places the former First Lady at the centre of renewed scrutiny over the organisation’s financial affairs, with the court proceedings and the FCID inquiry now moving forward in parallel.
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