Colombo: A court in Sri Lanka has granted bail to former president Ranil Wickremesinghe, who had been in custody due to allegations of misappropriating public funds.

Wickremesinghe participated in the court session virtually from the Intensive Care Unit of the Colombo National Hospital, amidst heightened security and protests occurring outside the courthouse.

The hearing was overseen by Colombo Fort Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura and was conducted via Zoom.

He was arrested last Friday by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and subsequently taken to the main Magazine Remand prison shortly after midnight, following a remand order from the Colombo Fort magistrate's court until August 26.

Initially placed in the prison hospital, Wickremesinghe's condition worsened due to dehydration, leading to his transfer to the ICU at the National Hospital.

He faces accusations of misusing LKR 16.6 million for a personal trip to the UK in 2023, where he attended a university convocation for his wife, Maithree. Wickremesinghe has refuted these claims, asserting that the visit was official as it was sanctioned by an invitation extended to the President of Sri Lanka in his official capacity.