The legendary former Sri Lankan cricket captain and politician, Arjuna Ranatunga, is set to be arrested upon his return to the country on corruption charges related to his tenure as the Minister of Petroleum Resources Development, authorities told a Colombo court on Monday.
Ranatunga, who famously led Sri Lanka to their historic 1996 Cricket World Cup victory, is currently abroad. His planned detention is part of a sweeping anti-corruption drive initiated by the government of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
The Allegation: ₹800 Million Oil Procurement Scam
The charges stem from Ranatunga’s time as the Petroleum Minister between 2017 and 2018. The country's anti-corruption watchdog, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), detailed the allegations in court:
- Contract Alteration: Ranatunga and his elder brother, Dhammika Ranatunga, who was the chairman of the state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) at the time, are accused of altering the procedure for awarding long-term oil procurement contracts.
- Costly Spot Purchases: Instead of following standard competitive tender processes, the brothers allegedly opted for immediate, irregular spot purchases of fuel at significantly higher prices.
- State Loss: The CIABOC told the court that this process, involving 27 separate purchases, resulted in a total financial loss to the state of approximately 800 million Sri Lankan rupees (equivalent to over $5 million at the time the deals were made).
Brother Arrested, Released on Bail
The action against the Ranatunga family has already begun. Arjuna's elder brother, Dhammika Ranatunga, was arrested on Monday in connection with the same case. He was later released on bail but the Magistrate imposed a travel ban on him, citing his dual citizenship status (Sri Lankan and US).
Arjuna Ranatunga, 62, has been named as a suspect and the court was informed that he would be arrested as soon as he returns to the island nation. The next court hearing for the case is scheduled for March 13, 2026.
This is the second prominent legal case involving a Ranatunga brother in recent months, as their sibling, Prasanna Ranatunga (a former tourism minister), was arrested last month in a separate insurance fraud case. The case against the former cricketing icon underscores the current government's commitment to tackling endemic political corruption.
