What's next for the nation's 'Siriliya'?

A major political controversy has erupted after a series of photographs of former First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, who left for Singapore a few days ago, claiming to seek medical treatment for a heart condition, went viral on social media, showing her shopping while avoiding appearance before the Police Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID). She had been summoned to appear before the FCID on the 24th to give a statement regarding alleged financial irregularities amounting to millions and money transfers in bank accounts related to the 'Siriliya Saviya' organization.

She left the island on the 16th at 1:10 AM on Singapore Airlines flight SQ-469. Her lawyer, as well as Manoj Gamage, the media spokesperson for former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, stated that it was not a 'fleeing' and that she would return on the 18th after receiving treatment for a heart condition and appear before the FCID on the 24th. However, she did not return to the country on the 18th as promised and has remained in Singapore until today, past the 24th.

Her lawyer had presented a new story, claiming that she underwent eye surgery in Singapore and needed rest and protection for her eye after medical treatment, hence her continued stay abroad. Although it was stated that she was receiving further treatment at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore, her party has failed to provide any relevant medical certificates. Amidst this, photographs showing her shopping with another woman near the famous '313@somerset' shopping complex on Orchard Road in Singapore on the 18th were released to social media. Subsequently, on the 25th, another series of images showing her shopping disguised as a Muslim woman became public, leading to strong criticism that she had misled the police and the public with false excuses.

Shiranthi Rajapaksa has not traveled abroad alone but with Rohitha Rajapaksa's mother-in-law and security personnel. Strong suspicions arise as to whether her departure, leaving Mahinda Rajapaksa alone in the country, is solely for medical treatment. The Attorney General's Department has advised that there are sufficient grounds to file criminal charges regarding financial irregularities concerning two luxury buses imported into the country under customs duty concessions worth millions, claiming they were for the Ministry of Sports, but later given to the 'Carlton Preschool' run under her. Additionally, investigations are underway regarding the alleged misuse of 100 million rupees obtained from the National Savings Bank (NSB), claiming it was for donating a CT scanner to the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children in Colombo, but instead used for a birthday celebration of a son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

According to investigations, 82,900,089 rupees were credited to the 'Siriliya Saviya' bank account maintained at the Suduwella People's Bank branch on Darley Road, Colombo, on 88 occasions, and 39,015,651 rupees were withdrawn on 129 occasions. There is also a fixed deposit of 10 million rupees. Fake national identity card numbers such as '222222222' and '111111111' were provided as authorized signatories for this account, and the document containing the account holders' information (Mandate) has also gone missing. Furthermore, a house worth over 200 million rupees, located at No. 260/17, Torrington Avenue, Colombo 07, purchased with these funds, has been used as the registered address for the organizations 'Tharunyata Hetak', 'Nil Balakaya', and 'Siriliya Saviya'.

Further exacerbating the situation, it has been revealed that the Defender vehicle used in the murder of prominent rugby player Wasim Thajudeen was received by Siriliya Saviya from the Red Cross organization, and its color was changed before being used in the murder. Investigations are also underway into telephone calls made from Temple Trees to the Narahenpita Police on that day, as well as the connection between Thajudeen and his friend (the vehicle sales businessman who died at the Shangri-La Hotel in the Easter attacks) with whom he was last seen before his death. It is a serious problem that responsible authorities have not acted to obtain a court order to prevent her from traveling abroad, despite such serious allegations and ongoing investigations.

According to unconfirmed sources, humanitarian appeals made to the President by a group including the youngest son of the Rajapaksa family through Buddhist monks to prevent her arrest have failed. It is also rumored that after her 30-day tourist visa in Singapore expires, there is a preparation for her to move to another country, similar to what Gotabaya Rajapaksa did previously, or to remain abroad by changing her identity, like Arjun Mahendran, who was accused in the Central Bank bond scam. In the face of such attempts to evade the law under the guise of illness, the public's trust in the fair rule of law has been severely challenged.

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