Tharoor Urges Lanka to Avoid ‘Politics of Vengeance’ After Wickremesinghe’s Arrest

Senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has voiced concern over the arrest of former Sri Lankan president Ranil Wickremesinghe, urging Colombo to rise above “politics of vengeance” and extend dignity to the veteran leader in view of his long public service.

Wickremesinghe, 76, was arrested on Friday in connection with allegations of misusing state funds worth 16.6 million Sri Lankan rupees. He was remanded to custody until August 26 by the Colombo Fort magistrate’s court and later admitted to the prison hospital after his blood pressure and blood sugar levels spiked. On Saturday, he was shifted to the intensive care unit of Colombo National Hospital.

In a post on X, Tharoor said the charges appeared “trivial” and stressed that the former president’s deteriorating health was cause for serious concern. “I call on the government of Sri Lanka — while fully respecting that this is their internal matter — to abjure the politics of vengeance and treat their former President with the respect and dignity that he deserves, after his decades of service to the nation,” Tharoor wrote.

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According to Sri Lankan authorities, Wickremesinghe is facing charges under Sections 386 and 388 of the penal code as well as Section 5(1) of the Public Properties Act, provisions that carry a potential jail term of one to 20 years.

The charges relate to his alleged use of state funds during a September 2023 trip to England, when he reportedly attended the convocation ceremony of his wife, Prof Maithree, while returning from an official engagement in the United States. Investigators allege that the UK leg of the journey was paid for by the state. His staff had been previously questioned about the expenses.

The Colombo Fort magistrate, Nilupuli Lankapura, denied bail after a six-hour hearing, ruling that defence lawyers had failed to present special circumstances justifying release.

Wickremesinghe, who served as Sri Lanka’s president from 2022 to 2024, remains a prominent opposition figure. His arrest has triggered debate in Colombo, with supporters describing the case as politically motivated while the government insists it is acting in line with the law.

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