Underworld criminal Janith Madusanka Silva, also known as “Podi Lasi,” who was arrested in India, is being brought back to Sri Lanka after one year.
A team of officers from the Criminal Investigation Department left for India yesterday (25) afternoon to bring him to Sri Lanka. He was arrested in Mumbai, India, and is currently in the custody of Indian police.
According to reports, as a result of diplomatic efforts and international police cooperation, the suspect is scheduled to be handed over to Sri Lankan authorities today (26) after the legal procedures in India are completed.
Although he faced many charges including murder and drug trafficking, Podi Lasi was granted bail on December 9, 2024, due to delays in court cases. After being released from prison, he said his life was in danger and illegally fled to India by sea.
He was arrested in Mumbai in January 2025 while trying to leave India using a fake passport.
He is considered one of the most dangerous criminals in Sri Lanka’s recent history, mainly operating in the Southern Province. He entered the criminal world after his father, Thelwatte Wasantha, was killed by a rival gang and his mother was injured in a shooting, which led him to seek revenge.
He became a powerful underworld figure after the murder of Ratgama Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Manoj Mendis in 2015. After that, he was accused of many crimes, including killing three members of a family and murdering a prison jailer.