Rajapaksa on Sunday denied his son was involved in the 2012 controversial death of the rugby player, saying the reopening of the case is politically motivated in view of next week's parliamentary election.
Sri Lankan investigators on Monday exhumed the body of a popular rugby player for forensic tests, amid allegations that authorities covered up the probe during former president Mahinda Rajapaksa's regime to save his son. Rugby player Wasim Thajudeen's body was exhumed in the Colombo suburb of Dehiwela for a re-investigation, police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said.
"The CID commenced an investigation on the death of Thajudeen. Following a magisterial order the body has been handed over to the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) for scientific investigations," the spokesman said.
"The body had been wrapped in polythene. So this will beof help for the investigation," JMO Thusith Tennakoon said. Thajudeen was rumored to have been murdered due to a personal dispute he had with the former President's second son Yoshitha, a fellow rugby player. The first son, Namal, told the BBC this week they were family friends.
Rajapaksa on Sunday denied his son was involved in the 2012 controversial death of the rugby player, saying the reopening of the case is politically motivated in view of next week's parliamentary election.
"First they called us robbers now they call us murderers," he said on Sunday.
The Rajapaksas have been complaining of a political witchhunt against the family by the current government. Thajudeen's car was found burnt in May 2012 with his bodyinside and though police has recorded the death as a motor accident, local media have reported that Thajudeen was killed over a personal dispute that involved Yoshitha.
After Rajapaksa, 69, was defeated in the January presidential poll by his deputy Maithripala Sirisena, fresh evidence emerged which suggested that all police records on Thajudeen's murder may have been tampered with. A CCTV footage from the neighbourhood also emerged whichsuggested that Thajudeen was abducted before his death. Last month, police told a court that they had fresh evidence in the case and wanted to re-open the case, while government spokesman Rajitha Senaratne accused three members of Rajapaksa's security contingent as the men who abducted and killed Thajudeen.
Rajapaksa assured that he would continue the investigation after August 17 elections if his party UPFA wins the parliamentary election. He is running for the parliament in the August 17 poll, becoming Sri Lanka's first former president to do so after demitting the office. Rajapaksa, who is accused of syphoning off billions of dollars from the state during his almost decade-long rule, is also facing graft charges, along with several of his siblings. He has denied wrongdoing and termed the graft charges as political witch hunt.
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