In Sri Lanka, an opposition MP was arrested this evening on charges of possessing a pistol without a valid license. <br />'' <br />'' United National Front (UNF) MP Ranjan Ramanayake was arrested following a search operation conducted at his house and became the third opposition MP to be arrested since new government under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa took over last November. <br />'' <br />'' Earlier, two former ministers were arrested in separate cases and subsequently released on bail. The opposition has alleged the new government of carrying out a witch-hunt against its opponents which the government has rejected saying the law is taking its course. <br />'' <br />'' MP Ranjan said that the Police claimed they had informed Speaker Karu Jayasuriya about the search operation today. He said that the Police had looked for heroin and drugs. However, the Police later found that the licence issued for the weapon had expired and Ramanayake was arrested with an unlicensed weapon.<br />''