Former Indian cricketer and Jaffna Kings co-owner Manjot Kalra was arrested by Sri Lankan authorities on Friday over allegations of attempting to bribe players ahead of the start of the Lanka Premier League (LPL). The arrest came just hours before the tournament’s opening match in Colombo.
According to Sri Lanka’s Sports Investigation Unit, Kalra was taken into custody at a hotel in Colombo while he was allegedly about to pay ₹9.5 million to a player. Officials said the player had first approached the authorities around 10 days ago after allegedly being contacted with the offer. Investigators also revealed that two other players had reportedly been approached.
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Kalra is expected to be produced before a magistrate as investigations continue.
Despite the development, Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed that the sixth edition of the Lanka Premier League would proceed as scheduled. The opening fixture between Jaffna Kings and Galle was not affected by the arrest.
In a statement, Sri Lanka Cricket reiterated its commitment to maintaining the integrity of the tournament, stating that it would not tolerate corruption, misconduct or any form of foul play involving stakeholders associated with the league.
The LPL has previously faced corruption-related controversies. Earlier this year, a Sri Lankan court handed a suspended prison sentence to Bangladesh-born team owner Tamim Rahman after he admitted attempting to influence a player and organise betting activities under the country’s anti-corruption laws.
