Tamim Rahman arrested for alleged match-fixing in Lanka Premier League (WATCH)

Tamim Rahman, a British citizen of Bangladeshi origin and owner of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) franchise Dambulla Thunders, was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of match-fixing. An official from the Special Investigation Unit for the Prevention of Offenses Relating to Sports at the Sports Ministry confirmed Rahman's arrest. The Colombo Magistrate's Court has remanded him in custody until May 31. Rahman's franchise was acquired by Imperial Sports Group, led by Bangladeshi entrepreneurs, in April.

Rahman was detained by immigration officials at Bandaranaike International Airport following a court order. The specific charges against him remain unclear, but he is being investigated under two provisions of the country's sports act related to match-fixing and attempting to place bets. The LPL is scheduled to take place from July 1 to 21.

In a related incident, Indian nationals Yoni Patel and P Akash were recently ordered by a Sri Lankan court to surrender their passports as they face indictment for match-fixing in the unsanctioned Legends Cricket League in Colombo. Patel, who owns a team in the league, and Akash are accused of trying to fix matches played between March 8 and 19 at Kandy's Pallekele Stadium. Both are currently out on bail.

Sri Lanka became the first South Asian country to criminalize match-fixing and corruption in sports with a law passed in 2019, which mandates up to 10 years in jail and fines for offenders. The law also punishes failure to report corrupt approaches.

The auction for the fifth edition of the LPL, featuring 500 local and international players, was held on Tuesday. Matheesha Pathirana became the most expensive LPL player ever, fetching USD 120,000 and joining his old team, Colombo Strikers, for the 2024 edition. Pathirana recently played for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL.

The LPL, which began in 2020 after multiple postponements, currently has B-Love Kandy as the title holder, having won the 2023 edition by defeating Dambulla Aura in the final. The tournament features five franchises competing for the championship.

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