Alleged drug trafficker Mandinu Padmasiri Perera, alias “Kehelbaddara Padme,” who was arrested in Indonesia and brought to Sri Lanka, was yesterday remanded until 3 September by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court.
The suspect, who had been detained in the custody of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), was produced before Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama under tight security.
CID officers told the court that the suspect had been deported from Indonesia following an Interpol Red Notice and arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport on 2 September 2025. He was subsequently detained under a Detention Order for questioning.
The Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission had been informed of his detention on several occasions, the CID said.
Investigators had recovered eight mobile phones from Kehelbaddara Padme, but their data had been deleted. The CID subsequently restored the data and uncovered details of 8,841 telephone calls, 326,671 photographs, 1,101 audio recordings and 5,039 videos.
Analysis of the data had revealed information relating to 20 major drug traffickers, and the Police Narcotics Bureau had been informed, the CID said.
The phones also contained the contact numbers of 13 prison officers. The Commissioner General of Prisons had been notified of the discovery.
Investigators had also uncovered information relating to seven actresses and models, as well as photographs and telephone conversations involving nine politicians. Further investigations into those links were underway, the court was told.
Among the recovered images were photographs of 19 passports belonging to individuals allegedly connected to various criminal activities.
The CID said it was also investigating 17 bank accounts linked to the suspect.
According to investigators, Kehelbaddara Padme had legally left Sri Lanka using his passport on 21 May 2021. He had since made around 15 visits to 13 countries, including Dubai, Indonesia, Russia, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and Laos.
The suspect was also being investigated in connection with several recent firearm recoveries, the CID added, requesting that he be remanded.
Attorney Chaminda Athukorala, appearing for Kehelbaddara Padme, requested that his client be held at a prison other than Welisara Prison, claiming that several of his rivals were detained there.
After considering the submissions, the Chief Magistrate remanded the suspect until 3 September and directed prison authorities to detain him at a suitably secure prison.
The Magistrate also ordered that the suspect be produced before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court on 4 September in connection with a separate case filed by the Colombo Crime Division.
Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala announced on 28 August last year that Kehelbaddara Padme and four other alleged organised crime figures had been arrested in Indonesia following a seven-day operation jointly conducted by the CID, Indonesian Police and Interpol.
Kehelbaddara Padme has also been accused of involvement in the fatal shooting of underworld figure Ganemulla Sanjeewa, whose real name was Sanjeewa Kumara Samararatne, inside the dock of Colombo Magistrate’s Court No. 5 on 19 February 2025.
Meanwhile, alleged drug trafficker Nilanga Sampath Silva, alias “Panadura Nilanga,” who had also been detained under a Detention Order, was produced before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court yesterday. He was also remanded until 3 September.
