Colombo, Sri Lanka : Sri Lankan authorities have announced plans to arrest former national cricket captain Arjuna Ranatunga in connection with an alleged oil procurement scam that reportedly caused a loss of around ₹23.5 crore to the state. The development was revealed before a Colombo court on Monday by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption.
According to prosecutors, Ranatunga, who served as Minister of Petroleum Resources, is accused of altering established procedures for awarding long-term oil supply contracts in 2017. Instead, officials allegedly opted for spot purchases, a move that led to financial losses estimated at 800 million Sri Lankan rupees over 27 transactions.
Ranatunga, the captain who led Sri Lanka to its historic 1996 Cricket World Cup triumph, is currently overseas. Authorities told Magistrate Asanga Bodaragama that he will be arrested once he returns to the country.
The case also involves his elder brother Dhammika Ranatunga, former chairman of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, who has already been arrested and released on bail. Due to his dual citizenship with the United States, a travel ban has been imposed on him. The court has fixed the next hearing for March 13, 2026.
The investigation forms part of a broader anti-corruption drive under President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s government, which has pledged stricter action against irregularities in public procurement.
Arjuna Ranatunga, now 62, remains one of Sri Lanka’s most influential cricketing figures. However, this case has placed the World Cup-winning captain firmly in the legal spotlight, marking a significant moment where sporting legacy intersects with political accountability.
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