Key Takeaways
- A Sri Lankan court ordered the arrest and detention of an Indian co-owner of a Lanka Premier League team.
- The co-owner, Manjot Kalra, was arrested for attempting to bribe five players with 9.5 million rupees.
- Sri Lanka Cricket stated that the domestic T20 tournament would proceed as planned.
A Sri Lankan court ordered the arrest and detention of Manjot Kalra, an Indian co-owner of a Lanka Premier League (LPL) team, on Friday. Kalra was charged with attempting to bribe five players for match-fixing, according to inspector Supun Vidanage of the Sports Investigation Unit.
Kalra was apprehended at a hotel in Colombo as he allegedly attempted to pay one player 9.5 million rupees ($28,700), while four other Sri Lankan players were also approached by Kalra just ten days before his arrest, Vidanage added.
An accomplice of Kalra is also being held in police custody until the end of the month pending further investigation. The Jaffna team, for which Kalra serves as a co-owner, faces scrutiny following these allegations.
Despite the ongoing investigations and controversies surrounding the LPL, the opening match of the tournament's sixth edition was scheduled to take place on Friday night between the Jaffna and Galle teams. Sri Lanka Cricket reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the integrity of the tournament and stated that it will not tolerate any form of corruption.
The domestic T20 league has faced allegations of corruption in previous editions, with notable cases such as the conviction of Bangladesh-born Tamim Rahman, owner of Dambulla Thunders. Rahman admitted to attempting to influence a player and organising match-fixing, leading to a four-year jail term and a five-year suspension.
The Sri Lankan government has taken steps to address these issues through strict laws aimed at preventing corruption in sport. The 2019 law mandates severe penalties for those involved in corrupt practices, including imprisonment and fines. This latest incident underscores the ongoing challenges faced by cricket authorities in maintaining the integrity of the game.
Sri Lanka Cricket's statement highlighted its unwavering commitment to upholding the standards of the tournament: 'We reiterate our unwavering commitment to protecting the integrity of the tournament and will not tolerate any form of corruption, misconduct or foul play by any stakeholder associated with the league.'
