Sri Lanka to probe ex-minister with Interpol's help

Sri Lanka will seek assistance from the Interpol to probe a former government minister over alleged mass financial fraud in the country, a government spokesperson said here Friday.

Cabinet spokesperson and Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne told Xinhua news agency that the government would seek assistance from Interpol to probe corruption allegations against former economic development minister Basil Rajapaksa who left for the US soon after last month's presidential elections.

A complaint was lodged against Rajapaksa, who is also the younger brother of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, at the country's Bribery and Corruption Commission by Sri Lanka's Marxist party, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), alleging that he, with several other members of the Rajapaksa family, had committed mass financial fraud during their terms in office.

Complaints were also lodged against former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, his elder son Namal Rajapaksa and his brother and former defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

"Although Basil is in the United States, we will seek Interpol assistance to probe him as and when it is required. All those who have been involved in corruption in the past will be thoroughly investigated and brought before the law, even though they are overseas," Senaratne said.

Basil Rajapakse and his wife left for the US a few days after the defeat of his brother at the Jan 8 presidential election and now reside in Los Angeles. He and his family are citizens of the US.

Since winning the elections, Sri Lanka's new government has launched a massive campaign to investigate alleged mass financial frauds committed by the previous government and hunt down more than $5 billion allegedly stashed overseas.

The Maithripala Sirisena government has sought help from India, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to locate this hidden wealth.

Travel bans have been issued by the country's Bribery Commission on several key members of the former government, including former Central Bank governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal and Sajin Vaas Gunewardena, who was a strong ally of the former president in corruption investigations.