Western Province Chief Minister Isura Devapriya said there was a conspiracy within the Rajapaksa family to get former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa arrested for political mileage. 

"That's what they did to their own brother. They knew the common public respected Gotabaya Rajapaksa. They had plans to get him arrested. It was President Maithripala Sirisena who spoke to the former Defence secretary and made him aware of these plans," Devapriya said, addressing an election meeting. 

Devapriya said it was after the President' telephone call that the former Defence Secretary decided to leave the country. 

"The President told the former Defence Secretary that he should make a decision. Then only he decided to leave the country. It all happened because of this conspiracy," the Chief Minister added. 

Commenting on the matter, however, Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa said the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) should investigate the Chief Minister's claim. 

"Isura Devapriya is claiming that members of the Rajapaksa family conspired to have Gotabaya Rajapaksa imprisoned for political mileage. The CID should investigated this claim. When found to be false, action should be taken against spreading false accusations," the Parliamentarian said.