Sri Lankan authorities have announced plans to arrest Arjuna Ranatunga, the nation's iconic former cricket captain. The move is part of a sweeping anti-corruption campaign led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, targeting alleged political wrongdoing from previous administrations.
The Corruption Allegations and Fuel Tender Scandal
Ranatunga, who served as the country's petroleum minister in 2017, stands accused of corruption linked to an oil procurement deal during his tenure. Investigators allege that he, along with his elder brother Dhammika Ranatunga, manipulated standard fuel tender procedures to benefit certain suppliers.
Dhammika Ranatunga was the chairman of the state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) at the time. Instead of adhering to competitive long-term contracts, the brothers are accused of approving repeated "spot purchases" of fuel at significantly higher prices. Authorities claim this deviation from procedure caused substantial financial losses to the Sri Lankan government.
Estimated Losses and Legal Proceedings
Sri Lanka's anti-corruption body, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), presented details to the Colombo Magistrate's Court. They stated that 27 such fuel purchases resulted in an estimated loss of approximately 800 million Sri Lankan rupees (about ₹23.5 crore).
CIABOC has informed the court that Arjuna Ranatunga will be arrested as soon as he returns to Sri Lanka. His current whereabouts are undisclosed, though he was last publicly seen in the country around November. He departed as the investigation intensified.
His elder brother, Dhammika, has already been arrested in connection with the case. He was later released on bail but faces a travel ban. Dhammika holds dual Sri Lankan and US citizenship.
A Family's Legal Troubles and Ranatunga's Cricket Legacy
This is not the first legal issue for the Ranatunga family. Another brother, Prasanna Ranatunga, a former minister of tourism and urban development, was previously convicted in a separate extortion case and received a suspended prison sentence.
The case against Arjuna Ranatunga starkly contrasts with his celebrated status in sports. He is revered as the captain who led Sri Lanka to its historic victory in the 1996 ODI Cricket World Cup, a triumph that transformed the nation's standing in the sport globally.
As a player, the tough left-handed batter represented Sri Lanka in 93 Test matches and 269 One-Day Internationals between 1982 and 1999, scoring over 13,000 international runs. After retirement, he transitioned into cricket administration and politics, serving as president of Sri Lanka Cricket and heading sports ministry committees, though his tenures were often marked by controversy and conflict.
The next court hearing related to the corruption case is scheduled for 13 March 2026.
