Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama ordered two Indian nationals, including the co-owner of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) franchise Jaffna Kings, to be remanded in custody until July 31, 2026. The order followed their arrest by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) for the Prevention of Sports Offenses of the Sri Lanka Police over high-profile match-fixing allegations.
The two suspects have been identified as Manjot Kalra, the co-owner of the Jaffna Kings team, and Yuvraj Pushpa, an Indian national accused of aiding and abetting the crime. The SIU produced the suspects before the court following a detailed breakthrough in their ongoing investigation into illegal activities surrounding the 2026 LPL tournament.
During the court proceedings, investigative officers revealed that the duo had allegedly approached several prominent Sri Lankan national cricketers, offering them financial incentives to fix matches. Among the players targeted were Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Avishka Fernando, and Dunith Wellalage. According to the police, the suspects had arranged a deal on July 15, 2026, offering a staggering $300,000 to fix four matches. The prosecution also submitted audio recordings of the incriminating conversations to the court as evidence.
Furthermore, the SIU informed the Magistrate that the transaction was initially negotiated at 12 million LKR (120 lakhs) before being reduced to 11.5 million LKR (115 lakhs). The primary suspect was caught red-handed by the police while attempting to deliver a portion of the funds. The police produced the seized bag in court, which contained 9.5 million LKR (95 lakhs) in cash.
Stating that investigations into the network are still actively underway, the SIU requested the court to keep the suspects in remanded custody. Acknowledging the gravity of the submissions and the evidence presented, Chief Magistrate Bodaragama ordered both individuals to be held until July 31.
