Sagara Kariyawasam, the secretary-general of the main opposition party, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), was arrested on Monday for allegedly making defamatory remarks about Sri Lanka Police Chief Priyantha Weerasooriya.
Speaking at a press conference held last week at the party headquarters, Sagara Kariyawasam criticized him, saying, “The police chief is acting like an employee of the ruling party. But he should also serve the public.”
This arrest action was taken when Sagara Kariyawasam appeared before the Criminal Investigation Department to give a statement regarding this controversial remark, which was seen as insulting the police chief.
The SLPP party, which is under the control of the Rajapaksa family, has accused this arrest action of being the ruling government's “political revenge.”