Former Sri Lanka cricketer Dammika Ranatunga arrested on graft charges

Former Sri Lankan Test cricketer Dammika Ranatunga, elder brother of 1996 World Cup–winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga, was arrested and later released on bail on Monday in connection with alleged irregularities in crude oil procurement by a state-owned enterprise.

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) said the 63-year-old was taken into custody over alleged wrongdoing in the tendering process followed by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) in 2017, when Dammika Ranatunga was serving as its chairman. According to the anti-graft body, the alleged violations occurred during the purchase of crude oil and resulted in significant financial loss to the state-run company.

In submissions before the Colombo Magistrate Court, CIABOC stated that Dammika Ranatunga had exercised “undue influence” in the tender process, causing a loss estimated at 800 million Sri Lankan rupees to the CPC. After being produced before court, he was granted bail, officials confirmed.

CIABOC also told the court that Arjuna Ranatunga, former cricket World Cup-winning captain and ex-cabinet minister, has been named as the second accused in the case. However, the commission said Arjuna Ranatunga could not be arrested or produced before the magistrate as he is currently overseas.

At the time of the alleged irregularities in 2017, Arjuna Ranatunga was serving as minister of petroleum industries, while his elder brother headed the CPC. The anti-corruption investigation relates specifically to decisions taken during that period and the manner in which crude oil procurement contracts were awarded.

Dammika Ranatunga has had a relatively brief international cricket career but went on to occupy influential administrative positions after retiring from the sport. He played two Test matches for Sri Lanka against Australia during the 1989–90 season, opening the batting in both games. Following his playing career, he transitioned into sports administration and became the first chief executive officer of Sri Lanka Cricket, the national governing body for the game.

The case against the Ranatunga brothers comes amid renewed scrutiny of alleged corruption involving state-owned enterprises in Sri Lanka, particularly in sectors such as energy and fuel procurement that have faced public criticism over governance and transparency in recent years. CIABOC has not commented publicly on the timeline for further proceedings but confirmed that investigations are ongoing.

Court proceedings are expected to continue once the second accused is available to be questioned and produced before the judiciary. For now, Dammika Ranatunga remains out on bail as the legal process unfolds.

With PTI inputs