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Douglas Devananda, leader of the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP), has been remanded until January 9, 2023, following the recovery of a weapon issued to him by the Sri Lankan Army in 2001. The weapon surfaced during the investigation of organized criminal figure 'Makandure Madush' in 2019.

Devananda's EPDP played a significant role in opposing the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) during the Sri Lankan Civil War, receiving military support from the government. Despite surviving multiple assassination attempts by the LTTE, Devananda's political influence waned in the latest election, where his party failed to secure seats. His recent arrest has attracted attention, particularly from those who view it as a response to his opposition to the LTTE, amid ongoing tensions in the region regarding the treatment of Tamil political figures.