Sri Lanka's former Housing Minister Wimal Weerawansa was arrested on Tuesday by a special police unit investigating fraud.

Weerawansa was arrested by the Financial Crimes Investigations Division after being asked to appear to record a statement, Xinhua news agency reported.

The opposition Member of Parliament was questioned over the alleged misuse of government vehicles when he was a Minister.

Weerawansa was Housing Minister in the government of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and was known as an outspoken figure.

The Sri Lankan authorities have begun a crackdown on opposition members accused of fraud and corruption.

Some key members of the former government have been arrested over the past several months. --IANS