Arjuna and his elder brother Dhammika Ranatunga are accused of manipulating the process to secure long-term oil procurement contracts, resulting in higher-cost spot purchases. “The total loss to the state from 27 transactions amounts to ₹800 million Sri Lankan rupees (approximately ₹23.5 crore),” as per the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption.
Arjuna is currently abroad and will be arrested when he returns. Dhammika, the former chairman of Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, is identified as the first suspect, while Arjuna is the second.
Dhammika was detained on Monday but subsequently released on bail, with a travel ban imposed on him. He holds dual citizenship in Sri Lanka and the United States.
The assistant legal director, Anusha Sammandapperuma, representing the Bribery Commission, presented the corruption allegations against Arjuna Ranatunga in court.
The court was informed that three long-term tenders for the CPC’s fuel procurement for the years 2017-2018 had been annulled, and that the subsequent decision to adopt spot tenders at elevated prices allegedly resulted in a loss of nearly ₹800 million to the Corporation.
The next hearing for this case is set for March 13.
The charges against the Ranatunga brothers are part of a broader initiative by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s government, which took office last year with a commitment to fighting extensive corruption.
Arjuna, 62, a left-handed batsman, led Sri Lanka to victory in the 1996 Cricket World Cup against Australia.
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)
First Published: Dec 16, 2025 12:52 PM IST
