COLOMBO: A former Indian under-19 cricketer, who is a co-owner of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) franchise Jaffna Kings, was arrested by Sri Lanka's sports anti-corruption investigators on Friday over allegations of attempting to bribe a player.
The arrest took place hours before the sixth edition of the tournament kicked off.
The suspect, Manjot Kalra, remembered for his match-winning century in the final of the 2018 Under-19 Cricket World Cup, was arrested by the Police Special Investigation Unit for the Prevention of Offences Relating to Sports and later produced before a magistrate.
Kalra, 27, who transitioned into sports entrepreneurship, invested in the Jaffna Kings franchise earlier this year.
According to the Sri Lankan police, Kalra is accused of attempting to induce a player with money in connection with the tournament.
Investigators said the player had alerted the authorities after being approached around 10 days earlier, leading to the arrest on Friday.
The complaint was lodged by Sri Lanka players Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Avishka Fernando and Dunith Wellalage, the police said.
All three of them play for the Jaffna Kings franchise.
The arrest came on the opening day of the LPL 2026 with Jaffna Kings taking on Galle Gallants at the SSC Grounds in Colombo.
The five-team tournament features 24 matches and is scheduled to conclude on August 8.
The LPL has faced scrutiny over allegations of match fixing, bribery and corruption for a while.
Earlier this year, a Sri Lankan court handed a four-year suspended prison sentence to the owner of another LPL franchise after he admitted to attempting to influence a player and organise betting activities under the country's anti-corruption law.
He was also fined 24 million Sri Lankan rupees.
In a statement, Sri Lanka Cricket said it has taken note of the reported arrest on Friday and would extend its full cooperation to the Special Investigations Unit for the Prevention of Offences Relating to Sports should any assistance be sought in connection with the inquiry.
The cricket body further said the tournament would proceed as scheduled without any interruption.
Reiterating its "zero-tolerance" approach to corruption and unethical practices, the board said it remained committed to protecting the integrity of the league.
