Sri Lanka's Rajapaksa dynasty under siege after ex-first lady arrested

Sri Lanka's arrest of the former first lady today (7 October) heightened a crackdown against members of the once-untouchable Rajapaksa political dynasty, which dominated the South Asian island nation for decades.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake -- elected in 2024 after the 2022 economic crisis ousted Gotabaya Rajapaksa as president -- has made tackling corruption a priority.

"Fighting corruption is dangerous, but not fighting it presents even graver risks," Dissanayake told the UN General Assembly in 2025.

Shiranthi Rajapaksa, wife of Gotabaya's older brother and former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, was taken into custody by anti-corruption officials over a 15-year-old case.

The 73-year-old was taken into custody at the Kirulapone residence where the former president is currently staying.

Mahinda, 80, also faced allegations of receiving kickbacks from a $2.3-billion Airbus aircraft deal in 2013.

A key witness allegedly hanged himself on 8 May, scuttling that case.

All claim innocence and accuse the government of conducting a political witch-hunt.

AFP looks at key members of the Rajapaksa family facing legal action:

Gotabaya Rajapaksa

Gotabaya, 77, president from 2019 to 2022, is banned from foreign travel during the ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which killed 279 people.

Gotabaya's former intelligence chief, Suresh Sallay, is already in custody.

Sallay is accused of orchestrating the attacks to create instability ahead of the election that brought Gotabaya to power.

Both deny the allegations.

Gotabaya is also under investigation over alleged kickbacks from the 2006 purchase of four MiG aircraft.

Mahinda Rajapaksa's sons

Namal, a former minister, current opposition legislator and Mahinda's eldest son, is viewed as the family's political heir.

He is accused of laundering $2 million from a potential Indian investor in 2012. He had previously been discharged from a similar case in 2023.

Namal also faces corruption charges relating to the Airbus deal of 2013.

The 40-year-old was arrested on 4 September, and remains in custody.

Yoshitha, 38, the ex-president's second son, is a former navy officer who, like his brothers, was also the national rugby captain.

He is on bail over allegations of misusing state funds for overseas training in 2006. A former navy admiral was arrested in early July in connection with the case.

Yoshitha faces a separate money laundering case.

Court filings say he claimed to have purchased a property worth more than $500,000 using a bag of gems gifted by a grandaunt who is unable to testify in court.

Rohitha, 37, the youngest of Mahinda's sons who describes himself as a "space system engineer", is also being questioned by police regarding unexplained wealth.

Shiranthi Rajapaksa

Shiranthi, 73, Mahinda's wife, was Sri Lanka's first lady from 2005 to 2015.

She has been questioned over alleged financial irregularities linked to her Siriliya charity, which investigators suspect was used for money laundering. She was arrested on Wednesday.

Shiranthi is accused of raising money for a PET scanner for a children's hospital even after the medical equipment had been gifted by the Chinese government.

Her brother Nishantha Wickramasinghe is currently on bail after facing corruption charges relating to his tenure as chairman of state-owned Sri Lankan Airlines, when his brother-in-law was president.

Basil Rajapaksa

Basil, 75, a former economic development minister and Mahinda's youngest brother, is a key strategist within the family.

He faces two arrest warrants issued in separate cases.

One relates to the alleged purchase of land using illicit funds, and the other to the misuse of state resources during a 2014 election campaign.

He is believed to be in the US, where he holds citizenship.

Authorities have issued an Interpol Blue Notice seeking information on his whereabouts.

Shasheendra Rajapaksa

Shasheendra, 50, a former deputy minister and a nephew of Mahinda, was indicted in June for allegedly defrauding the state of 8.85 million rupees ($29,500) in compensation for property he did not own.

His brother Shamindra, believed to be abroad, is also under investigation over alleged kickbacks linked to the 2013 Airbus deal.