By Roy Denish
Shiranthi Rajapaksa, the wife of former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, failed to appear before the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) after departing the country for Singapore, airport and investigative sources said.
The former first lady had been issued a formal notice by the police financial crimes unit instructing her to report to its offices for questioning regarding ongoing financial inquiries.
According to immigration records, the official notification was handed to her on September 16 as she prepared for international travel at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake.
Investigators had specifically directed Mrs. Rajapaksa to present herself before the FCID unit by Thursday afternoon to provide statements and cooperate with financial investigators regarding the Siriliya Saviya foundation accounts.
Accompanied by a family member, Mrs. Rajapaksa boarded Singapore Airlines flight SQ-469, which departed the island at approximately 1:10 a.m. on September 16.
Her travel was undertaken on the premise of receiving medical treatment and undergoing health checkups at a private facility in Singapore, following a brief spell in a Colombo hospital.
As the Thursday deadline lapsed without her presence, law enforcement officials and legal representatives confirmed that she failed to appear before the authorities as mandated by the police directive.
The development has drawn intense public attention, marking another high-profile chapter in the ongoing legal and financial investigations surrounding members of the Rajapaksa family.
Authorities have not yet officially detailed the immediate legal repercussions of her failure to present herself, or whether further summonses will be issued upon her return.
Law enforcement officials and financial investigators are expected to confer in the coming days to determine the next procedural steps regarding her pending deposition and travel status.
