Tue Aug 26 11:00:46 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe was granted bail on health grounds after being arrested for allegedly misusing state funds for a private trip to London in 2013. The arrest, part of the current government’s anti-corruption campaign, has been condemned by opposition leaders as political revenge. Wickremesinghe, who was president from 2022 to 2024 and credited with stabilizing the country after an economic crisis, is receiving medical treatment in a hospital.

**News Article:**

**Former Sri Lankan President Wickremesinghe Granted Bail Amid Corruption Probe**

**Colombo, Sri Lanka -** Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe was released on bail Tuesday after being arrested on charges of misusing state funds. Wickremesinghe, 76, is accused of spending approximately $55,000 in state funds for a personal trip to London in 2013.

The Colombo Magistrate Court granted bail on health grounds, as Wickremesinghe has been receiving treatment for high blood pressure and diabetes in a hospital intensive care unit since his arrest on Friday. He attended the hearing via video link from the ICU.

The arrest is part of the National People’s Power government’s crackdown on corruption, but it has sparked controversy. Opposition leaders, including former Presidents Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Maithripala Sirisena, have criticized the move as political revenge, accusing the current administration of targeting Wickremesinghe.

Wickremesinghe served as president from 2022 to 2024, stepping in after the ouster of his predecessor during a period of economic turmoil. He is credited with implementing IMF-backed austerity measures that stabilized the nation. He subsequently lost the presidential election to Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who campaigned on an anti-corruption platform.

The former president’s office denies the allegations of misusing public funds. Wickremesinghe will remain in the hospital for continued treatment.

Read More