<p> Former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa's son was arrested today along with four other people over money laundering allegations.<br /><br />Yoshitha Rajapaksa, the second son of ex-strongman Mahinda was, arrested and quizzed this morning by the police's Financial Crimes Division (FCID) at the Sri Lankan Navy headquarters, a navy spokesman said.<br /><br />He and four others have been arrested on money laundering allegations, police said in a statement.<br /><br />Yoshitha, who is a navy officer, is the first immediate family member of former President Mahinda to be arrested since his shock defeat at the hands of Maithripala Sirisena in the polls last year.<br /><br />He was quizzed in connection with TV channel Carlton Sports Network (CSN) which had close links with the Rajapaksa sons.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Nishantha Ranatunga, who was CSN's CEO, was also among those arrested. He was also the Secretary of the Cricket governing body.<br /><br />Sri Lanka witnessed a huge political change in the beginning of last year when Sirisena trounced Rajapaksa in the January 8 presidential race, ending his 10-year-rule.<br /><br />Rajapaksa in August tried to stage a dramatic comeback as prime minister as Sri Lanka voted to elect a 225-member Parliament.<br /><br />However, Rajapaksa's hopes were dashed as Ranil Wickremesinghe's United National Party (UNP) won a closely- fought election to form a national unity government.</p>
<p> Former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa's son was arrested today along with four other people over money laundering allegations.<br /><br />Yoshitha Rajapaksa, the second son of ex-strongman Mahinda was, arrested and quizzed this morning by the police's Financial Crimes Division (FCID) at the Sri Lankan Navy headquarters, a navy spokesman said.<br /><br />He and four others have been arrested on money laundering allegations, police said in a statement.<br /><br />Yoshitha, who is a navy officer, is the first immediate family member of former President Mahinda to be arrested since his shock defeat at the hands of Maithripala Sirisena in the polls last year.<br /><br />He was quizzed in connection with TV channel Carlton Sports Network (CSN) which had close links with the Rajapaksa sons.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Nishantha Ranatunga, who was CSN's CEO, was also among those arrested. He was also the Secretary of the Cricket governing body.<br /><br />Sri Lanka witnessed a huge political change in the beginning of last year when Sirisena trounced Rajapaksa in the January 8 presidential race, ending his 10-year-rule.<br /><br />Rajapaksa in August tried to stage a dramatic comeback as prime minister as Sri Lanka voted to elect a 225-member Parliament.<br /><br />However, Rajapaksa's hopes were dashed as Ranil Wickremesinghe's United National Party (UNP) won a closely- fought election to form a national unity government.</p>