Former India U-19 World Cup hero Manjot Kalra remains behind bars after being denied bail in Lanka Premier League match-fixing case

File image: Manjot Kalra (PTI Photo) NEW DELHI: Former India Under-19 World Cup star Manjot Kalra will remain in custody in Sri Lanka after a Colombo court rejected his early bail plea in connection with an alleged match-fixing case linked to the ongoing Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2026.Kalra, who rose to fame with his match-winning century in the 2018 U-19 World Cup final, and fellow Indian Yuvraj Pushpa approached the Colombo High Magistrate’s Court seeking relief after being jailed till July 31 following their arrest earlier this month. However, Chief Justice Asanga S. Bodaragama rejected the request, allowing the existing detention order to continue while investigators continue their high-profile corruption probe.

The court rejected medical grounds for bail

According to PTI, advocate KWS Fernando sought the discharge of both the accused on health grounds and told the court that Kalra and Pushpa were unwell.The prosecution opposed the claim, saying the investigation, which is being carried out by the Sri Lanka Police’s Special Investigation Unit (SIU) for the Prevention of Sports-related Crime, is still ongoing. Accepting the plea, the magistrate refused to grant bail and ensured that the two accused remain in custody until at least July 31.The latest decision marks yet another setback for Kalra, who have been at the center of one of the biggest controversies in the sixth edition of the Lanka Premier League.

Allegations of match-fixing are spreading as more players join the complaint

The case stems from allegations that there were attempts to influence players participating in LPL 2026 to fix matches.Sri Lankan internationals Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Aviska Fernando and Dunith Wellalage initially made complaints to investigators. During Monday’s hearing, the court was told that two more Sri Lankan cricketers have since joined the complaint, bringing the total number of players involved in the case to five.Investigators had previously informed the court that several players were allegedly approached with suggestions regarding the manipulation of match results. According to filings from the initial custody proceedings, the players alerted the Sports Corruption Perceptions Unit and continued to communicate with the suspects as directed by investigators.Authorities also claimed to be in possession of recorded phone conversations and video footage associated with the alleged accesses. However, Kalra’s defense denied all the allegations and said there was no evidence that he had offered or paid any bribe.After his arrest, Kalra issued a statement saying he was fully cooperating with investigators and confident the facts would prove his innocence.

The ownership of the Jaffna Kings was terminated during the ongoing investigation

The controversy also sparked significant off-field developments.Last week, commercial rights holder 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 Jaffna Kings, citing its failure to meet financial obligations.Kalra became a co-owner of the franchise alongside entrepreneur Mayank Goel. After the termination, IPG and Sri Lanka Cricket assumed full financial and operational control of the franchise to ensure the continuation of the tournament without interruption.Tournament organizers have confirmed that Jaffna Kings will continue under the same name, with no changes to the squad, roster or coaching staff. They also reiterated that the ongoing investigation regarding Kalra will not affect the course of the tournament.The Lanka Premier League 2026, which features five franchises in 24 matches, started 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 bond continuing until July 31.