Yoshitha Rajapaksa arrested!

Yoshitha Rajapaksa in custody ....

for CSN channel fraud

Remanded for two weeks

Former President's son Mr. Yoshitha Rajapaksa was arrested this afternoon after being questioned by the Financial Crimes Investigation Division and was remanded for a period of 2 weeks for having violated rules and regulations of the Naval Forces while still engaged in services there by utilising government property

too and being attached to the private channel of CSN and also in trying to covering it up.

He had been summoned this morning to the Headquarters of the Navy for extracting a statement from him and thus interrogated. Five persons including Yoshitha Rajapaksa who were subjected to suspicion in this connection were interrogated. The others are Directors of CSN channel Nishantha Ranatunga, Rohan Weliwita, Ashan Ravinath Fernando and Lavishan Dissanayaka. Mr. Dhammika Hemapala, Kaduwela Chief Magistrate remanded all of them this evening for a period of 14 days.

They were produced before courts today by Financial Crimes Investigation Division on several counts including cheating public property through CSN Sports channel. Former President Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa, wife Shiranthi and son Namal were present at courts premises when they were produced to courts.

Police Media Spokesman, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Mr. Ruwan Gunasekera said that they had been taken into custody according to inquiries conducted by the Financial Crimes Investigation Division under the relevant Act. At the moment the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa entered from the main gate of Kaduwela Courts at 6.12 this evening and came to the courts compound, a crowd of monks including Muruththettuwe Ananda Thera too had assembled at courts premises while Basil Rajapaksa and a number of Opposition MPs including former Secretary of Defence also had been present.

It was Yoshitha Rajapaksa who was brought to courts first. While he was brought by a van, the others were brought by a bus. When Mahinda Rajapaksa the former President entered the compound of Kaduwela courts, what he told the media who surrounded him was that as soon as he came to know that his son was to be taken into custody he had promptly questioned him about it. The former President quipped that Yoshitha had told him that the FCID is questioning him and had responded saying, "Father ... you look after your own business". On that occasion the former President is supposed to have as if by anger said, "Sons, wives and brothers being taken into custody and by putting them into jail ... the courage that was gained from 1936 will not be lost and that courage will not be lost just because dogs bark".

The group including Mr. Yoshitha Rajapaksa who were taken into custody have been remanded till 11th February. Photos and video of that occasion, from below