Sri Lanka arrests ex-president's son over Airbus deal

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Colombo, Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka's main anti-graft body has arrested lawmaker Namal Rajapaksa, the 40-year-old son of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, over a corruption probe involving a 2013 Airbus aircraft purchase. 

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption detained the MP on Friday after summoning him for questioning regarding the controversial $2.3-billion deal.

The probe centers on allegations that European manufacturer Airbus channeled kickbacks to senior Sri Lankan politicians and officials to secure required cabinet approval for ten aircraft. 

A joint investigation by US, British, and French authorities previously found Airbus agreed to pay about $16 million in bribes in Sri Lanka, with $1.7 million routed to former SriLankan Airlines chief executive Kapila Chandrasena.

Court submissions revealed Chandrasena initially told investigators he handed nearly half a million dollars in kickbacks to Rajapaksa in 2013, though he later retracted the claim under pressure. 

Chandrasena was found dead in May before his scheduled rearrest.

The Rajapaksa family has denied receiving bribes, dismissing all corruption claims against them as politically motivated. The deal was canceled in 2016, leaving the debt-laden flag carrier with losses nearing $2 billion.