Corrupt officials of Rajpaksa regime cannot escape: Lanka PM

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Wednesday said the ongoing investigations against "corrupt" members of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa regime will continue without political interference.

The members of Rajapaksa's immediate family and others are charged of money laundering. His second son Yoshitha Rajapaksa, who is also a navy lieutenant is currently in remand custody over money laundering charges. He was arrested on January 30 last month.

Rajapaksa's younger brother Basil Rajapaksa, the former economic development minister has also been charged in court in addition to facing the special presidential panel probing corruption.

The opposition has accused the government of a political witch hunt by targeting the members of the former regime.

Wickremesinghe said there will be "no escape for corrupt members of the former regime and the investigations into large scale fraud and corruption is being conducted in a transparent and independent manner".

Yoshitha was quizzed in connection with TV channel Carlton Sports Network (CSN) which had close links with the Rajapaksa sons.

CSN was controversially handed over Sri Lankan cricket's television broadcast rights under the Rajapaksa regime. The broadcast rights had been the preserve of the state television until then.