Former India Under-19 World Cup Winner Arrested in Sri Lanka Over Alleged Player Bribery Manjot Kalra, a former India Under-19 World Cup champion and co-owner of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) franchise Jaffna Kings, was arrested in Sri Lanka on Friday over allegations of attempting to bribe a player. The arrest occurred hours before the sixth edition of the tournament, which began with a match between Jaffna Kings and Galle Gallants at the SSC Grounds in Colombo. Kalra, 27, is known for his match-winning century in the 2018 Under-19 Cricket World Cup final and has since transitioned into sports entrepreneurship, investing in the Jaffna Kings franchise earlier this year. The Sri Lankan police confirmed that Kalra was detained by the Police Special Investigation Unit for the Prevention of Offences Relating to Sports. He was later produced before a magistrate. According to authorities, Kalra is accused of attempting to induce a player with money in connection with the tournament. The investigation was triggered after a player reported being approached by Kalra around 10 days prior. The complaint was lodged by Sri Lanka players Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Avishka Fernando, and Dunith Wellalage, all of whom are part of the Jaffna Kings franchise. The LPL, a five-team tournament featuring 24 matches, is scheduled to conclude on August 8. This incident adds to the league’s history of corruption allegations, which have drawn scrutiny for years. Earlier this year, a Sri Lankan court sentenced the owner of another LPL franchise to a four-year suspended prison term after he admitted to attempting to influence a player and organize betting activities under the country’s anti-corruption laws. The owner was also fined 24 million Sri Lankan rupees.#lanka_preminier_league #manjot_kalra #jaffna_kings #bhanuka_rajapaksa #avishka_fernando
