Colombo Additional Magistrate Liyan Warusawithana today ordered that Ishara Sewwandi, a suspect in the Ganemulla Sanjeewa murder case, be remanded until August 21.

The suspect had been held under a detention order by the Colombo Crimes Division for the past 10 months and was produced before court today, when the remand order was issued.

Sewwandi was arrested in Nepal on October 14, 2025, during a joint operation carried out by the Sri Lanka Criminal Investigation Department (CID) together with Nepalese security forces near Kathmandu.

She was brought back to Sri Lanka the following day, October 15, 2025, along with five other suspects, and has since been detained and questioned by the Colombo Crimes Division until her production in court today. 

Ishara Sewwandi is the prime suspect in the murder of underworld figure Ganemulla Sanjeewa, who was gunned down inside a Colombo court in 2025. (Newswire)

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The Sri Lanka Police has launched strict disciplinary action against the Officer‑in‑Charge of the Division involved in hosting an alleged birthday celebration for Ishara Sewwandi, the prime suspect in the murder of underworld figure Ganemulla Sanjeewa. 

Addressing the media, Police Spokesman ASP F. U. Wootler said the DIG in charge of the Western Province personally visited the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and launched an investigation with a team headed by senior Police officers. 

He further said that steps have been taken to initiate strict disciplinary action against the CID OIC involved in the incident. 

Stating that Police officers are government officers and cannot maintain any links with criminals, ASP Wootler urged Police officers to uphold their values and responsibilities while carrying out their duties.” (Newswire)

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The Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) has requested Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama to grant permission to refer Ishara Sewwandi, the main suspect in the murder of underworld figure Ganemulle Sanjeewa, to the Government Analyst for a facial examination.

After her arrest in Nepal, Sewwandi was being questioned in custody by the Colombo Crimes Division. 

According to the Lankadeepa newspaper, the request was made to the court while presenting suspects Nandakumar Thakshi, who is said to resemble Sewwandi, and Ajith Kumar, accused of assisting Sewwandi flee to India.

Considering the matter, the Chief Magistrate informed that since Sewwandi is still being held and questioned by police, the relevant order could not be issued at this stage.

The Chief Magistrate further directed that such requests be made once she is produced before the court.

Lawyers appearing on behalf of suspects Thakshi and Ajith told the court that the Police had not submitted sufficient evidence to substantiate the charges of aiding and abetting against their clients. (Newswire)

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Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala says the Police have uncovered links to certain politicians following the arrest of Ishara Sewwandi, the chief suspect in the murder of underworld figure ‘Ganemulla Sanjeewa’ in February this year. 

The minister said that a deep investigation into those connections is necessary, and that the Police Department is actively pursuing this. 

Minister Wijepala further said that information related to the underworld has been revealed through the individuals linked to underworld activities who were arrested in Indonesia recently. 

He revealed that since August 30, investigations have led to the recovery of seven T-56 rifles, one T-81 weapon, six pistols, nine revolvers, two other firearms, and 909 rounds of ammunition. 

The Minister of Public Security also noted that INTERPOL red notices have been issued to 80 wanted suspects residing overseas. 

Minister Wijepala added that measures are being taken to bring them back to Sri Lanka and that discussions are underway on a diplomatic level.

Minister Ananda Wijepala made the remarks in Parliament today while responding to various comments made regarding the Police Department. (Newswire)

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The full video of the Police operation conducted to arrest Ishara Sewwandi, the suspect wanted over the murder of underworld figure ‘Ganemulla Sanjeewa’, has been released to the media. 

It is reported that an individual known as ‘Jaffna Bhai’, who was arrested alongside Ishara Sewwandi, had assisted in the arrest in Nepal.

The video footage shows ‘Jaffna Bhai’ luring Ishara Sewwandi for a meeting, after which she was arrested. (Newswire)

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The Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) has arrested a suspect for aiding Ishara Sewwandi, the chief suspect in the murder of underworld figure Ganemulla Sanjeewa in February, to flee to India by boat. 

According to the Police, the suspect was arrested along with a boat near the Aralithuduwa coastal area in Jaffna.

The suspect was arrested after questioning his detained accomplice, Anandan, who is a relative of the arrested man.

It has been revealed that the boat, which allegedly facilitated Ishara’s escape to India, belonged to Anandan and was equipped with a 400-horsepower engine.

The suspect is reported to have operated as Anandan’s assistant and is suspected of helping Sewwandi escape to India via Jaffna. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) members have lodged a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), alleging an organized campaign of false propaganda aimed at discrediting the party and its leadership, including MP Namal Rajapaksa.

SLPP National List MP Pasan Kasturi Fernando speaking to media said that the complaint had been lodged today, citing a sustained online smear campaign targeting former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and other senior members.

He claimed the misinformation is primarily spread through social media and has intensified alongside recent police operations that led to the arrests of individuals linked to narcotics activities.

Fernando alleged that certain groups were attempting to politicize these investigations by falsely associating suspects with the SLPP.

He made these comments referring to the recent arrest and extradition of Ishara Sewwandi, a suspect in the murder case of underworld figure Ganemulla Sanjeewa. Social media posts and narratives had been crafted using the suspect’s name and image along with SLPP material used during the previous election, he said.

“There is a deliberate effort to portray the SLPP as a party formed for criminal activities,” Fernando said, adding that similar claims in the past had been legally challenged without any supporting evidence being found.

He accused organized groups of using fake accounts and paid online campaigns to spread misinformation and called for an impartial investigation by the CID into the matter. (Newswire)

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The Kathmandu Post has reported that Nepal has deported six Sri Lankan nationals linked to the murder of underworld figure Ganemulla Sanjeewa, following their arrest in Kathmandu.

According to the Nepalese media, the deportation took place on Wednesday after a special operation conducted in coordination with Nepal Police uncovered that the accused had been residing in rented houses across Kathmandu and Bhaktapur.

Police investigations claimed that all six were members of the notorious Kehelbaddara Padme gang. The suspects were found to have been living discreetly in Nepal for several weeks, using false identities and claiming to be Indian nationals. Two of them reportedly entered Nepal by air, while the others are believed to have crossed the border from India by land.

Since none of the suspects had committed crimes in Nepal, authorities coordinated with the Department of Immigration to facilitate their deportation in line with Nepali law.

Full report by the Kathmandu Post: 

Nepal has deported six Sri Lankan nationals linked to the murder of underworld leader Sanjeewa Kumara Samararathne, also known as Ganemulla Sanjeewa, following their arrest in Kathmandu.

According to the Nepalese media, the deportation took place on Wednesday after a special operation conducted in coordination with Nepal Police uncovered that the accused had been residing in rented houses across Kathmandu and Bhaktapur.

According to senior Nepal police sources, the deported individuals are Ishara Sewwandi Weerashingha Pinpura Dewage (26), Jeevathasan Kanakarasa (33), Takshi Nanthakumar (23), Dinesh Shyamantha De Silva Kaludara (49), Kenedy Bastiampillai (35), and Dinesh Nisantha Kumara Wikkrama Arachchige (43).

Ishara Sewwandi, the prime suspect in the killing of Sanjeewa inside the Hulftsdorp Magistrate’s Court in Colombo on February 19, 2024, was on Interpol’s red notice list. The notice had prompted Interpol member countries, including Nepal, to track her movements.

A Nepal Police officer said the Sri Lankan Embassy in Kathmandu had shown particular concern over the case, leading to increased surveillance. “The Interpol National Central Bureau at Nepal Police Headquarters in Naxal deployed a special team to locate and arrest the suspects,” the officer said.

Police investigations claimed that all six were members of the notorious Kehelbaddara Padme gang, a Sri Lankan criminal organisation involved in drug trafficking and organised crime from Malaysia and Dubai. Interpol had also issued a red notice against Padme, who was arrested in Indonesia on August 25. Sri Lankan media have reported that Padme was the mastermind behind Sanjeewa’s assassination.

The suspects were found to have been living discreetly in Nepal for several weeks, using false identities and claiming to be Indian nationals. Two of them reportedly entered Nepal by air, while the others are believed to have crossed the border from India by land.

Since none of the suspects had committed crimes in Nepal, authorities coordinated with the Department of Immigration to facilitate their deportation in line with Nepali law.

A senior immigration official confirmed, “They have been fined as per legal requirements and handed over to Sri Lankan authorities under police supervision.”

Interpol officials noted that such cases of Sri Lankan underworld figures seeking refuge in Nepal are extremely rare, adding that coordination between Nepal Police and the Sri Lankan Embassy was crucial in ensuring their swift deportation. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Namal Rajapaksa has called on the government to conduct an unbiased investigation into those behind underworld organizations. 

Speaking to the media today, MP Rajapaksa said that the government should not politicize the matter, similar to the arrests of a former Navy Commander and two high-ranking Police officers. 

“The country must know who is behind these underworld organizations. A neutral investigation must be conducted into this. Several wanted persons have jumped out of the country during the tenure of this government. The Deputy Minister himself has revealed that 17 persons have left the country using forged passports. But, they still haven’t revealed who those passports belong to. It is also said that two containers of narcotics have been released from the Port after inspection. Then what about the 323 containers that were not inspected? They are not revealing details of who released those. Please investigate these incidents too,” MP Rajapaksa said. 

The SLPP MP said the government must probe these matters and take measures to curb underworld activities, but warned that these matters should not be politicized and that a neutral investigation must be conducted. 

MP Namal Rajapaksa made the remarks while responding to questions on the arrest of Ishara Sewwandi, the mastermind behind the murder of underworld figure Ganemulla Sanjeewa at a Colombo court complex in February this year. (Newswire)

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Ishara Sewwandi, the suspect wanted in connection with the murder of underworld figure ‘Ganemulla Sanjeewa’ inside a Colombo court complex in February this year, was arrested a few days ago in Nepal, Sri Lanka Police said. 

Addressing the media today, Police Spokesman ASP F.U. Wootler said that a red notice had been issued through INTERPOL for Ishara Sewwandi, the suspect who had handed over the weapon to the gunman in the shooting incident.

Stating that she was arrested with five other suspects, he said one man had been arrested for providing refuge to Ishara Sewwandi, and three men and a woman had been arrested for having maintained contacts with her. 

The Police Spokesman went on to note that the arrests were made possible through coordinated efforts between Sri Lanka’s CID, intelligence units of both nations, and the Government of Nepal. 

He further said that measures are underway to bring all 06 suspects, including Ishara Sewwandi, back to Sri Lanka in the coming days. 

Police Spokesman ASP Wootler also revealed that 18 wanted suspects have been arrested and brought back to Sri Lanka so far, after having been issued red notices through INTERPOL. (Newswire)

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Five suspects, including Ishara Sewwandi, wanted in connection with the murder of underworld figure Ganemulla Sanjeewa at the Hulftsdorp Magistrate’s Court, have been arrested in Nepal, police said.

Sewwandi, a 25-year-old woman identified as the main suspect, was accused of aiding and abetting the gunman who shot dead Sanjeewa Kumara Samararatne, alias Ganemulla Sanjeewa, inside Court No. 5 of the Hulftsdorp Magistrate’s Court on February 19.

Since the day of the shooting, Sewwandi had been evading arrest, with police having little information about her whereabouts. She was reportedly hiding overseas under a false identity.

The arrests were made in coordination with Nepalese law enforcement and INTERPOL. Further investigations are underway to extradite the suspects to Sri Lanka. (Newswire)

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Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala says Ishara Sewwandi, the female suspect wanted over the murder of underworld kingpin Ganemulla Sanjeewa, has not fled Sri Lanka. 

Speaking during a televised interview, Minister Wijepala said that information collected thus far does not indicate that she had fled the country. 

He further revealed that information with Ishara Sewwandi regarding the murder has been collected from other suspects during investigations underway into the matter. 

Minister Wijepala added that the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is conducting formal investigations into the murder.

Ishara Sewwandi is wanted for having transported the weapon and handing it over to the gunman inside the Colombo Courthouse, where Genemulla Sanjeewa was shot dead in February this year. (Newswire)

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Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali has ordered two journalists to provide statements to the Colombo Crimes Division.

The order was issued following a report by the Division in relation to the alleged departure from the country of Ishara Sewwandi, one of the main suspects sought in connection with the murder of underworld figure Ganemulla Sanjeewa.

The directive follows the publication of an article claiming that the suspect left Sri Lanka undetected.

A search is still underway to arrest Ishara Sewwandi, who allegedly provided the weapon used in the shooting of Ganemulla Sanjeewa.

The Police arrested several suspects, including the gunman, in connection to the shooting which took place inside a Colombo Courthouse in February. (Newswire)

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