Mahinda Rajapaksa admitted to hospital in Colombo

Former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been admitted to a hospital in Colombo for medical care. Reports regarding the nature of his admission vary; while his political party, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), stated the 80-year-old leader was admitted for urgent care and placed under observation in the intensive care unit (ICU), associates have also described the visit as a routine and precautionary medical examination to dispel rumors of serious illness.

Rajapaksa, who served as President from 2005 to 2015, remains a highly influential figure in Sri Lankan politics. His hospitalization occurs amid ongoing legal scrutiny of his family members, including his son Namal Rajapaksa and his wife Shiranthi Rajapaksa, both of whom have faced legal proceedings related to alleged financial misconduct. The current administration under President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has maintained a focus on investigating corruption linked to previous government officials.