• To be extradited along with 3 associates of ‘Kehelbaddara Padme’
• ‘Bus Lalith’ nabbed in Dubai 
• Rs. 39.02 b assets seized during 2021-2024, Rs. 730 m of same confiscated this yr. 
• So far this yr., 5.7 m inspected in spl. Police ops., 4k+ arrested, 120,000 suspended for questioning, 35k+ arrested on open warrants

The fugitive female suspect wanted in connection with the murder of organised crime suspect Sanjeewa Kumara Samararatne alias ‘Ganemulla Sanjeewa’, Pinpura Dewage Ishara Sewwandi, has reportedly been arrested in Nepal.

Four others have also been arrested during a joint operation conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Nepal Police.

The shooting took place on 19 February of this year within the Hulftsdorp Magistrate’s Court Number Five, where Samararatne was shot and killed. The suspect, 25-year-old Sewwandi, is believed to have assisted the gunman responsible for the shooting, Samindu Dilshan Piyumanga. Since the day of the incident, she has been in hiding, and the authorities had not been able to obtain reliable information regarding her whereabouts until recently. 

The murder was reportedly orchestrated by an organised crime faction led by the organised crime suspect known by the alias ‘Kehelbaddara Padme’. The shooter, identified as Piyumanga, was arrested the same day in Palavi, Puttalam, by officers of the Special Task Force. Investigators later reviewed closed circuit television camera footage from the Court complex, which revealed that a woman had assisted the shooter. 

It was discovered that this woman had brought the firearm, hidden inside a book commonly used in legal settings, which was later used in the shooting. Following further investigation, Police identified her as Sewwandi, a woman residing in Minuwangoda. After committing the crime, Sewwandi had fled from Middeniya to India, reportedly with the assistance of a person named J.K. Bai. It is said that she spent approximately Rs. 6.5 million to escape to India, where she remained for around three weeks. Subsequently, Sewwandi escaped via buses and trains, and according to reports, she arrived in Nepal about seven days later. She was eventually found staying on the upper floor of a flat in a mountainous region of Nepal and was arrested on Monday (13). It has also been uncovered that a separate passport had been prepared for another woman, who was intended to act as a decoy or substitute for Sewwandi, enabling her to escape to various countries if needed.

Sewwandi was arrested in Nepal following a special Police operation carried out in that country, under diplomatic assistance, the Police stated. Police Media Spokesperson, Assistant Superintendent of Police F.U. Wootler made this statement during a special media briefing held yesterday (14). Wootler added that Sewwandi was arrested in Nepal following a joint operation conducted by the CID and a special Police team, under the direct intervention of the Inspector General of Police. Along with Sewwandi, four other suspects were also arrested, including another woman and three close associates of ‘Kehelbaddara Padme’. 

He said that these suspects are expected to be brought back to Sri Lanka in the coming days. He also confirmed that a Red Notice had been issued for Sewwandi by the Police. He said that Seewandi will be brought back to Sri Lanka within the next few days in accordance with the applicable extradition laws. Several other persons who were arrested along with her, including another woman who had provided protection to Seewandi, will also be flown back.

Meanwhile, over 40 Red Notices have been issued for Sri Lankan organised criminal figures living abroad, while 18 of them have been brought back to Sri Lanka so far this year. 

Wootler further revealed that the Police are taking measures to confiscate the illegally earned assets of organised criminal figures, adding that the Police have taken steps to confiscate assets worth Rs. 39.02 billion during the 2021-last year (2024) period. Steps have also been taken to confiscate assets worth Rs. 730 million in 2025. According to him, among these assets are 354 gold sovereigns, 72 vehicles, 35 houses, a 37-acre land plot, and Rs. 670 million in cash.

He further spoke about the special Police operations being carried out across the island. According to him, from 1 January 2025 to date, these operations have inspected 5.7 million people. While 4,082 people have been arrested in connection with various crimes including rape and robbery, 120,000 have been apprehended on suspicion and for further questioning. The number of suspects arrested on open warrants stands at 35,035. A total of 47,600 drunk driving cases have also been filed as a result of these operations.

Moreover, Wootler said that so far this year, a total of 1,996 firearms have been seized. Among them were 66 Type-56 rifles, 69 pistols and 50 revolvers.

Elsewhere, organised crime suspect Lalith Kannangara, also known by the alias ‘Bus Lalith’, has been arrested in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He is believed to be running a Sri Lankan organised crime network while based in Dubai. Kannangara is implicated in several criminal cases.