Colombo, Sri Lanka – Ranil Wickremesinghe, the former president of Sri Lanka, was detained by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Friday in connection with allegations of improper use of state resources, according to local reports. The 76-year-old was taken into custody after arriving at the CID headquarters in Colombo to provide a statement concerning his trip to London for his wife’s graduation ceremony.

While a police spokesperson has yet to officially confirm the arrest, Wickremesinghe’s office has not commented publicly on the matter.

Wickremesinghe, a seasoned politician and record-holding six-time prime minister, assumed the presidency in 2022 amid Sri Lanka’s severe financial crisis. He succeeded Gotabaya Rajapaksa following mass protests triggered by the country’s economic collapse, which ultimately forced Rajapaksa to flee and resign.

Hailing from a prominent political and business family with substantial media interests, Wickremesinghe entered politics as the nation’s youngest cabinet minister at age 29, appointed in 1978 by his uncle, then-President Junius Jayewardene. He rose to lead the United National Party in 1994 after the assassination of several senior party members.

This development signals a significant moment in Sri Lanka’s ongoing political and economic challenges as investigations continue.

"This case underscores the importance of accountability among public officials," a political analyst commented. "It remains to be seen how this will affect the current political landscape."

Further updates are awaited as the investigation proceeds.