A political drama unfolds as the CID turns hospital corridors into a crime scene, chasing social media whispers about Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya allegedly visiting Ranil Wickremesinghe in the National Hospital. From CCTV hunts to recorded statements, the saga proves that in Sri Lanka, rumor control is now a matter of state security.
The Maligakanda Magistrate has informed the Criminal Investigation Department that permission can be granted to examine CCTV footage from the National Hospital, Colombo if required, in connection with the investigation into social media posts claiming that Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya visited former President Ranil Wickremesinghe in hospital.
Magistrate Lochani Abeywickrama ordered the CID to first record statements from Prime Minister Amarasuriya and her security officers before reviewing hospital surveillance material. The CID informed the court that it has already launched an investigation into the controversial social media posts, which suggested a private visit by the Prime Minister to the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit.
The request to examine CCTV footage came directly from the CID, which argued that such verification was necessary to determine whether the claims circulating online had any basis. After considering the request, the magistrate stated that access to CCTV footage could be granted if further investigation deemed it essential following the collection of official statements.
This latest probe highlights how social media speculation has now become a trigger for full-blown state investigations, with hospital security cameras joining the stage of political theater. Whether the Prime Minister actually visited or not, the unfolding drama has turned public rumor into judicial procedure, further entangling politics, privacy, and perception.
