Transport Minister Bimal Ratnayake has ignited political shockwaves, claiming that Sri Lanka’s most notorious underworld networks were built and maintained under the direct patronage of former Presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa, Ranil Wickremesinghe, and Ranasinghe Premadasa.
Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Bimal Ratnayake has alleged that the country’s underworld activities thrived with the backing of top political leaders. He stated that underworld groups in the Southern Province were systematically nurtured through the coordination of former Presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa, Ranil Wickremesinghe, and Ranasinghe Premadasa.
According to the minister, while the Northern Province was engulfed in war and had no opportunity for such criminal structures to emerge, the South became the breeding ground for underworld operations. These networks, he said, were managed in a way that ensured their survival and influence across decades.
Ratnayake further explained that although conflicts occasionally broke out between rival groups, these clashes never reached extreme levels of violence. He attributed this relative stability to the existence of a single dominant figure who acted as the “godfather,” ensuring order and discipline among gangs.
The minister also accused members of parliament and ministers of past governments of being directly linked to these underworld operations. He stressed that politicians in charge of the criminal networks were deeply involved in their affairs, often offering protection in exchange for loyalty.
He revealed that when disputes arose between gangs, political leaders or their coordinators stepped in to mediate, effectively controlling the scale of violence. By dividing territories among different underworld factions, these leaders ensured that gang wars were limited, thereby consolidating their grip over both politics and crime.
Ratnayake’s explosive claims highlight the deep nexus between politics and organized crime in Sri Lanka, raising fresh questions about the complicity of past governments in fueling decades of violence, intimidation, and lawlessness.
