{
  "id": 3379333,
  "title": "Police question Gotabaya over Sugeeswara’s “two salaries”",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/police-question-gotabaya-over-sugeeswaras-two-salaries",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-25T23:58:45.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Island Sri Lanka",
    "slug": "the-island-sri-lanka",
    "url": "http://island.lk/police-question-gotabaya-over-sugeeswaras-two-salaries/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Colombo Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena questioned former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Wednesday in connection with the arrest of his former secretary, Sugeeswara Bandara. Bandara was apprehended on June 18th after being denied bail the previous day. He is currently remanded until September 9th.\n\nThe arrest stems from allegations that Bandara received two salaries while serving as a Project Director at the Presidential Secretariat during Ranil Wickremesinghe's presidency. Police are also investigating claims that state vehicles were abused and employees were utilized for political purposes while Bandara held these positions.\n\nThe Central Crime Investigation Bureau is probing the alleged misuse of Rs. 1.93 million when Bandara was a secretary to the President, and an additional Rs. 4.26 million during his tenure as a Project Director. Prosecutors informed the court that these offenses violate Section 5(1) of the Public Property Act and relevant Penal Code provisions.",
  "summary": "Police have recorded a statement from former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa regarding the arrest of his secretary Sugeeswara Bandara over allegedly receiving two salaries under the expenditure head of the President while working as a Project Director at the Presidential Secretariat during the tenure of President Ranil Wickremesinghe. Police arrested Bandara on 18 June this year. […]",
  "key_points": [
    "Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa questioned in connection with Sugeeswara Bandara's arrest",
    "Police probing misuse of Rs. 1.93 million and Rs. 4.26 million during Bandara's tenure"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The questioning of Gotabaya Rajapaksa signals a widening of the investigation into alleged financial improprieties by his former associates, potentially implicating him in the abuse of state resources.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}