NEW DELHI: Former India Under-19 World Cup winning star Manjot Kalra will remain in custody in Sri Lanka after a Colombo court rejected his plea for early bail in connection with an alleged match-fixing case linked to the ongoing Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2026.Kalra, who became famous with his match-winning century in the 2018 Under-19 World Cup final, and fellow Indian Yuvraj Pushpa approached the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court seeking relief after being remanded till July 31 following their arrest earlier this month. However, Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama dismissed the application, allowing the current remand order to continue as investigators continue the high-profile corruption probe.
The court rejected the medical grounds for bail
According to PTI, defense lawyer KWS Fernando sought the release of the two accused on medical grounds, telling the court that Kalra and Pushpa were unwell.The prosecution opposed the request, arguing that the investigation carried out by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of the Sri Lanka Police for the Prevention of Crimes Related to Sports is still ongoing. Accepting the submissions of the prosecution, the magistrate refused to grant bail, ensuring that the two defendants remain in custody until July 31.The latest decision marks another defeat for Kalra, who have been at the center of one of the biggest controversies to hit the sixth edition of the Lanka Premier League.
Allegations of match-fixing are growing as more players join the complaint
The case stems from allegations that attempts were made to influence players participating in LPL 2026 to manipulate matches.Sri Lanka internationals Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Avishka Fernando and Dunith Wellalage initially lodged complaints with investigators. During Monday’s hearing, the court was informed that two additional Sri Lankan cricketers have since joined the complaint, taking the total number of players involved in the case to five.Investigators had earlier informed the court that several players were allegedly approached with proposals related to match-fixing. According to the submissions made during the initial remand proceedings, the players alerted the Sports Corruption Investigation Unit and continued to talk to the suspects under the instructions of the investigators.Authorities also claim to have recorded phone conversations and video evidence connected to the alleged procedures. However, Kalra’s defense has denied all the allegations, maintaining that there is no evidence to show that he offered or paid any bribe.Following his arrest, Kalra issued a statement stating that he is fully cooperating with investigators and remains confident that the facts will prove his innocence.
Kings of Jaffna: possession was terminated amid an ongoing investigation
The controversy also prompted significant developments from the field.Last week, the commercial rights owner of the Lanka Premier League Innovative Production Group (IPG), in consultation with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), terminated the franchise agreement with Sports Commune, the ownership group behind the Jaffna Kings, citing failure to meet financial obligations.Kalra became a co-owner of the franchise with businessman Mayank Goel. After the conclusion, the IPG and Sri Lanka Cricket assumed full financial and operational control of the franchise to ensure that the tournament continued without interruption.Tournament organizers have confirmed that Jaffna Kings will retain the same name, with no changes to their squad, fixtures or coaching staff. They also reiterated that the ongoing investigation involving Kalra will not affect the conduct of the tournament.The Lanka Premier League 2026, with five franchises in 24 matches, began on July 17 and is scheduled to end on August 8. While the tournament continues on the field, Kalra’s immediate future now depends on the outcome of the ongoing investigation, with his remand scheduled to continue until July 31.