Ajith Sirikumara Gallage, once a powerful advisor to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, has been arrested in connection with a massive illegal motorcycle operation in Hambantota. But this isn’t his first brush with the law from elephant calf scandals to wildlife permit fraud, his name keeps resurfacing in controversial headlines.
The police found 21 high-capacity motorcycles worth Rs. 250 million, manufactured in foreign countries and banned from being imported into the country, hidden in a bird feed warehouse at the Nagarawewa Bird Park in Hambantota on July 12.
A team of officers including the Director of the Central Crime Investigation Bureau, Superintendent of Police Kamal Ariyawansa, carried out this raid in conjunction with the island-wide crime and drug raid operation.
The two suspects arrested for storing high-capacity motorcycles were produced before the Hambantota Magistrate’s Court on July 13 and were ordered to be remanded until July 25.
Among the suspects ordered to be remanded in custody is Ajith Sirikumara Gallage, who served as an advisor to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Who is this Ajith Gallage?
Ajith Sirikumara Gallage had previously been accused of keeping elephant calves illegally captured from the forests.
An audit conducted by the Auditor General’s Department confirmed in 2014 that 14 of the elephant calves registered by the Department of Wildlife Conservation after 2009 were illegally captured from the forests and that these animals had been illegally registered with the Department of Wildlife Conservation.
Ajith Sirikumara Gallage had been accused of illegally keeping elephant calves under file number 358 of the Department of Wildlife Conservation.
It was reported at the time by some media outlets that Ajith Sirikumara Galle, who was then a presidential advisor, had given information regarding the investigation conducted by the Auditor General’s Department into this allegation and said that the elephant calves in his possession belonged to the President.
Investigation conducted by Lalith Ambanwala
The Auditor General’s Department had issued two investigation reports regarding the illegal capture and possession of wild elephant calves.
According to the first report issued on July 22, 2014, the Auditor General’s Department had issued a report regarding 4 elephant calves, and the second report was issued on October 17, 2014, regarding 10 calves.
According to the two reports, it was revealed that the Secretary to the Ministry of Wildlife Resources Conservation, Udeni Wickramasinghe, had issued a maximum of 7 illegal permits during his tenure as the Acting Director General of Wildlife.
The audit was conducted by Lalith Ambanwala, who passed away recently.
However, environmentalists had alleged that steps were taken to remove Deputy Auditor General A.H.M.L. Ambanwala, who had prepared the audit report on elephant calves illegally captured from the forests and registered with false documents after 2009, from his post.
Orders to return elephants to accused persons
The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court in 2021 ordered the Director General of the Department of Zoological Gardens to return 13 elephant calves in the custody of the Sri Lanka National Zoological Parks Department to the persons who were in possession of the case materials.
“The OIC of Special Investigation Unit No. 01 of the Criminal Investigation Department has reported to this court that, in accordance with the instructions of the Attorney General regarding the taking of a policy decision regarding the tame elephants and the transfer of possession of them, which are subject to judicial proceedings and investigations, and under the Fauna and Flora Ordinance No. 2241/41 of the Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Extra Special) dated 19.08.2021, an order has been issued to regularize the registration of tame elephants as stated in Part II of that Gazette and that it has been ordered to register the tame elephants with the Department of Wildlife Conservation within 3 months as stated in Part II of that Gazette.”
A legacy of impunity?
Ajith Gallage’s reappearance in the headlines, this time over illegal superbikes, once again illustrates a broader pattern of political impunity in Sri Lanka. From alleged wildlife exploitation to the importation of banned vehicles, his case revives public frustration over the perceived nexus between power, privilege, and the subversion of law. Whether justice will be served remains to be seen, but public memory—particularly regarding the elephants—has not faded.
