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After nearly eight months on the run, Ishara Sewwandi—allegedly the mastermind behind the murder of underworld figure “Ganemulla Sanjeewa”—was arrested in Nepal and flown back to Sri Lanka along with five accomplices. The arrest came after a six-week covert international police operation, supported by Indian intelligence and coordinated by the Sri Lankan Criminal Investigation Department (CID) under Senior DIG Rohan Ologalla and Inspector Gihan de Silva.
A Carefully Orchestrated Escape Plan
According to CID investigations, Ishara Sewwandi had obtained a fake passport identifying her as a Mauritian national in preparation for fleeing to Mauritius. The forged document was created by a criminal known as Kehelbaddara Padme, and handed over by JK Bai, a Jaffna resident with deep connections to international smuggling and mafia networks.
The passport even carried fake Mauritian immigration stamps, part of a plan to disguise Ishara’s identity before smuggling her out of Nepal.
Who is JK Bai?
JK Bai, originally from Jaffna, frequently resided in Dubai and is believed to be a key facilitator in the escape of Sri Lankan criminals abroad.
Though not officially listed as a criminal, investigations revealed his involvement in moving fugitives, coordinating safehouses, and maintaining links with international mafia groups.
It is suspected that Padme paid JK Bai with drugs worth over Rs. 10 million to help Ishara escape. Additionally, around Rs. 6.5 million was spent on logistics and travel expenses to smuggle her to India and later Nepal.
The Six-Week Secret Operation
Once intelligence confirmed that Ishara was hiding in Nepal, a limited team of Sri Lankan officers—working under Inspector General Priyantha Weerasooriya and Senior DIG Asanka Karawita—planned a top-secret capture mission in coordination with Interpol and Nepalese police.
Diplomatic channels were established between the Sri Lankan and Nepalese Foreign Ministries, allowing the operation to proceed quietly over a six-week period.
Tracking the Fugitive in Nepal
The first breakthrough came when the team located JK Bai at a bus stop near Kathmandu, following leads on Ishara’s phone signals traced to Bhaktapur District, an area popular with tourists.
Bai was arrested and interrogated, leading to critical information about Ishara’s location. Using signal triangulation and a decoy plan, Bai was instructed to contact Ishara, pretending to bring her money. As she prepared to leave her hideout, Nepalese police moved in and arrested her, while Sri Lankan officers waited nearby.
Reports from Nepalese media state that Ishara had been living in Bhaktapur under a false identity, posing as a woman from Bangalore, India, and had rented a luxury apartment with JK Bai.
Other Arrests
Alongside Ishara and Bai, three others were arrested—including a woman from Jaffna named Thakshi, who resembled Ishara and had been preparing to use Ishara’s photo and data to forge another fake passport for travel to Europe.
Two others, Suresh (a Jaffna man accused of multiple murders and Kerala cannabis smuggling) and two underworld figures, Nugegoda “Babee” and Gampaha “Baba”, were also detained.
Reports claim that Babee offered Rs. 5 million to officers for his release—an offer firmly rejected by DIG Rohan Ologalla.
From Matugama to Nepal: Ishara’s Flight Path
CID investigations show that after Ganemulla Sanjeewa’s murder, Ishara stayed in Sri Lanka for three days, shopping and moving between Matugama and Middeniya before heading to Jaffna. From there, disguised with cut hair and altered facial appearance, she crossed into India via boat, likely with assistance from media operative “Supun” acting under Bekko Saman’s direction.
On July 21, she entered India, then traveled by train to Nepal, hiding for months in a private apartment in Bhaktapur.
The Return to Sri Lanka
On October 13, Ishara and five others were flown to Sri Lanka aboard a SriLankan Airlines flight, accompanied by CID officers and female air marshals for added security.
Upon arrival, Ishara and four suspects were handed to the Colombo Crimes Division, while the others were assigned to Peliyagoda and Western Province Crime Divisions for further investigation.
The Bigger Picture: The International Network
Investigators believe JK Bai is the real key to unlocking the international criminal web that has enabled Sri Lankan underworld figures to flee abroad. His arrest is expected to expose transnational links between Sri Lankan gangs, Indian networks, and Dubai-based facilitators.
CID sources also revealed that Ishara had developed a severe drug dependency while hiding in Nepal. When arrested, she reportedly sighed and said:
“Sir Ologalla… I knew someday you’d come for me. I was tired of hiding. Nepal felt like a prison. Going back to Sri Lanka felt like freedom—even if I end up behind bars.”
As investigations continue, authorities believe that the JK Bai–Sewwandi affair will reveal one of the largest cross-border underworld networks in recent Sri Lankan history, stretching from Gampaha to Kathmandu and Dubai.