Ex-LTTE Leader and Former Minister Karuna Arrested in Sri Lanka

He was arrested for allegedly misusing his government vehicle.

(Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

Former LTTE leader and ex-deputy minister of Sri Lanka Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan, popularly known as Karuna, was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly misusing his government vehicle during the previous Mahinda Rajapaksa regime.

He was remanded till 7 December by the Colombo High Court.

Karuna, who served as Deputy Minister of National Integration and Rehabilitation in Rajapaksa’s government from 2010, was arrested after he appeared before the Financial Crimes Investigation Department (FCID) to record a statement for allegedly misusing his bulletproof vehicle.

The FCID commenced an investigation after discovering the bulletproof vehicle valued at Rs 800 million from Batticaloa, reported Daily Mirror.

Once LTTE chief Prabhakaran’s trusted lieutenant, Karuna defected from the Tamil Tigers in 2004 to begin his paramilitary outfit Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pullikal (TMVP). His outfit went on to help the Lankan army defeat the LTTE.

Karuna lost his parliamentary seat in January 2015 after the Maithripala Sirisena government came to power.

International human rights organisations including the UN have accused him of committing human rights violations, including recruiting child soldiers, during the civil war in Sri Lanka.

(This story was published in an arrangement with The News Minute.)