• Ranil Wickremesinghe was arrested for allegedly misusing state funds during a trip to the UK.
• The allegations originate from his attendance at his wife's graduation ceremony.
• Wickremesinghe asserts that no public funds were used for the trip.
• This marks a significant legal challenge for the former leader, who served as president from 2022 to 2024.
• His arrest is seen by some as politically motivated following his financial recovery measures.

Former President of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe was arrested on Friday by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) over allegations of misuse of state funds related to a trip to London. Reports indicate that the trip was ostensibly for attending a ceremony honoring his wife, who received an honorary degree at the University of Wolverhampton, but the CID contests that it was a private visit funded by the state, according to Indiatimes and Reuters.

The CID arrested Wickremesinghe, 76, after he presented himself at the CID office in Colombo to record a statement concerning his visit. He is notable for leading Sri Lanka during a significant economic crisis and was arrested while awaiting further court directives, as stated by BBC and Al Jazeera.

Wickremesinghe claims his wife, Maithree, covered travel expenses, asserting that no state funds were utilized for the trip. However, the accusations also involve allegations that his bodyguards were financed by the government during this visit, which raises further concerns regarding the misuse of public resources, according to South China Morning Post and Dawn.

The political context of the arrest raises questions about potential motivations, especially since Wickremesinghe's allies claim the investigation may be politically charged, given the current administration's anti-corruption stance since Anura Kumara Dissanayake took over. His record as a leader who attempted to stabilize the economy after severe protests and economic turmoil complicates the public perception of his arrest, as reported by Reuters and TRT Global.