16 Sri Lankans players in 2016 IPL auction

As many as 351 cricketers are set to go under the hammer when the 2016 Indian Premier league (IPL) Players' Auction takes place in Bengaluru on February 6. However, only a maximum of 116 players can be bought at the auction.

The full list of players short-listed for the auctions has been released. It includes 130 capped players, 219 uncapped players and two from Associate Nations.

Out of these, 230 are Indians and 121 foreigners. The list was trimmed down from the original list of 714 cricketers who had given their names for the IPL auctions.

29 Australian capped cricketers have been short-listed for the auction. They are followed by players from India (26), West Indies (20), South Africa (18), Sri Lanka (16), New Zealand, (9), England (7) and Bangladesh (5).

Yuvraj Singh, Kevin Pietersen, Ashish Nehra, Shane Watson, Ishant Sharma, Sanju Samson, Dinesh Karthik, Stuart Binny and Dhawal Kulkarni are among the cricketers who have been listed with a base price of Rs 2 Crore (the highest base price bracket).

Yuvraj, who was left out of Delhi Daredevils, had fetched the highest price in the last two IPL auctions. Having returned to the national fold ahead of the ICC World T20, he is likely to attract a high bid in the upcoming auction.

Delhi Daredevils, who have released some of their biggest buys from the previous season - Yuvraj Singh and Angelo Mathews have the heaviest purse going into the auction - Rs 37.15 crore. They are followed by Sunrisers Hyderabad, who have Rs 30.15 crore going into the auction. The two new franchises - Rising Pune Super Giants and Rajkot are joint-third on the list with Rs 27 crore each in their kitty.

Kings XI Punjab (Rs 23 crore), Royal Challengers Bangalore (Rs 21.625 crore) and Kolkata Knight Riders (Rs 17.95 crore) follow them on the list. Defending champions Mumbai Indians, seem settled with the unit that played last year. They released 10 players from the contract list and have Rs 14.405 crore going into the auction.

T20 captain Lasith Malinga is the only Sri Lankan retained by a franchise (Mumbai Indians) in the IPL.

Sri Lanka players -

Mahela Jayawardene, Lahiru Thirimanne, Nuwan Kulasekera, Ajantha Mendis, Sachitra Senanayake, Dushmantha Chameera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Thisara Perera, Jeevan Mendis, Dilruwan Perera, Shehan Jayasuriya, Dasun Shanaka, Milinda Siriwardana, Isuru Udana, Dilshan Munaweera, Seekkuge Prasanna.

Gammanpila and Wimal visit Yoshitha

National Freedom Front leader MP Wimal Weerawansa and leader of the “Piwithuru Hela Urumaya” Udaya Gammanpila visited Yoshitha Rajapaksa at the Welikada Prison this morning (01).

The five suspects including former President’s son Yoshitha Rajapaksa were remanded till 11 February, after being presented before the Kaduwela Magistrate by the police on January 30.

However, Prison Spokesman Thushara Upuldeniya stated that the Department had taken measures to reduce unnecessary visitors to the premises.

“A prisoner is allowed one visit each day and a maximum of three visitors. If there are more visitors they need to consult the Prison Superintendent,” the Spokesperson added.

Mahinda Visits to Welikada Prison

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa visited his son Yoshitha Rajapaksa, who was remanded on Saturday, after obtaining a special permission from the government.

According to law, no one is allowed to visit a person in remand custody on Sundays. Rajapaksa had requested permission from the Minister of Prison Reforms, D.M. Swaminathan to visit his son and the Minister had given permission, after informing Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Prisons Spokesperson T. N. Upuldeniya told.

After obtaining approval, former President Rajapaksa and his son MP Namal Rajapaksa arrived yesterday to visit Yoshitha. Meanwhile Minister Arjuna Ranatunga has also visited the prison to see his brother Nishantha Ranatunga who was also arrested with Rajapaksa.

Upuldeniya added that prisons officers have taken measures to strengthen the security around the Welikada Prisons Complex, housing Yoshitha Rajapaksa, son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Speaking further he said more barriers and gates along with more prison guards were deployed to strengthen the security around the Welikade Prisons Complex.

Yoshitha Rajapaksa, Nishantha Ranatunga and three others were remanded on Saturday (30) by Kaduwela Magistrate's Court over the alleged financial irregularities in Carlton Sports Network (CSN).

Meanwhile, Upuldeniya has also said that more than 800 vacancies in Sri Lanka Prisons Department need to be filled by this year. Therefore examinations were carried out for the applicants for the relevant vacancies of 800 prison guards along with 100 prisons executive grade jailors, and they are soon to be interviewed, he added.

Yoshitha Rajapakse remanded over money laundering

Former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapakse's second son was remanded in custody for two weeks after being arrested on Saturday (Jan 30) on a charge of money laundering, police and court officials said.

Navy officer Yoshitha Rajapakse, 27, was taken into custody by authorities for questioning about dealings at his private television channel, Carlton Sports Network (CSN), police said.

Yoshitha, a navy lieutenant, was taken before a magistrate court in a suburb of Colombo and remanded, a court official said, adding that four other suspects were also held along with the former president's son.

Among the four was Nishantha Ranatunga, a younger brother of Sri Lanka's World Cup winning cricket captain Arjuna Ranatunga. Nishantha had been the chief executive of the CSN channel that secured broadcasting rights for all cricket matches.

The arrests followed months of investigations into the CSN station, which is accused of illegally using government equipment and vehicles for its daily operations and failing to pay billions of rupees in taxes.

Yoshitha is the closest family member of former president Rajapakse to be arrested. In April, authorities arrested Rajapakse's younger brother Basil who had been economic development minister under his sibling.

The former leader who was in court along with his wife and his eldest son Namal, a member of parliament, accused the new government of leading a witch hunt targeting his family. "This is an attempt to seek revenge," Rajapakse told reporters after his son was led away in handcuffs.

Rajapakse and his relatives controlled nearly 70 per cent of Sri Lanka's national budget during the former president's rule that ended in January last year when he was defeated at the polls by his former ally Maithripala Sirisena.

The new president has vowed to investigate allegations that members of Rajapakse's family siphoned off billions of dollars from the country during his nearly 10-year rule.

Local rights organisations have accused the government of not taking swift action to investigate corruption under Rajapakse's rule.

- AFP/de

​Yoshitha Rajapaksa questioned by FCID

The Financial Crimes Investigations Division (FCID) is currently questioning the second son of the former President, Yoshitha Rajapaksa at the Navy Headquarters regarding the reported financial irregularities at the Carlton Sports Network.

Earlier, speculation was rife that Lieutenant Yoshitha Rajapaksa, the second son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa would be summoned before a military court in connection with the abuse of his position in violation of the Navy Act, authoritative defence sources said.

The Navy conducted a full scale investigation into the charges levelled against Rajapaksa and the investigation report has already been referred to the President. Navy sources added that further action would be taken against Rajapaksa based on the President's decision.

MP Namal Rajapaksa said. “Yoshitha was asked to come to the Navy Headquarters this morning, and he is being questioned by the FCID over the CSN case,” MP Rajapaksa told. 

Earlier in the day, CSN Channel Chief Rohan Weliwita, who is also the former President Rajapaksa’s media secretary was arrested with four others by the FCID over alleged financial irregularties taken place at the channel. His lawyer confirmed that Mr. Weliwita and four others would be produced before the court this evening. Earlier, CSN Director Nishantha Ranatunga was questioned by the FCID over same allegation.

FCID arrests Rohan Weliwita

Chairman of the Carlton Sports Network Rohan Weliwita was arrested by the Financial Crimes Investigations Division (FCID) this morning over investigations in to the financial irregularities at the Carlton Sports Network.

Rohan Weliwita was the Media Coordinator of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Two treasure trove pots recovered from Peacock mansion swimming pool

Police could not find any valuable thing except two treasure trove pots from the swimming pool at the Peacock Mansion filled with sea sand.

The swimming pool at the Peacock mansion filled with sea sand was cleared under Police protection yesterday in the presence of high ranking police officers and owner of the Peacock Mansion Sri Lanka Labour Party leader and famous businessman A.S.P. Liyanage.

The pool was cleared on a request made by A.S.P. Liyanage to the IGP since the circulation of news that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa had stashed away gold and cash packed in polythene bags in the swimming pool at the Peacock mansion in Rajagiriya, which belongs to Liyanage.

Apart from the request, Liyanage lodged a complaint with the Welikada Police seeking police protection for the swimming pool and necessary mediation to clear it.

Accordingly, the sand removing process commenced manually around 11 a.m. under police observation of Welikada Police and the Criminal Investigation Department. However, a backhoe-loader was deployed for the process around 2.45p.m. aiming to expedite the process as manual cleaning took much time. But, nothing was detected from the swimming pool except two treasure trove pots buried for astrological purposes and on astrological advise.

"In a letter to the IGP, I requested that an investigation be conducted into the issue, including the clearing of the swimming pool to ascertain whether there is a truth in such rumours since this situation great mental distress tome and my family members," he said.

"When the mansion was prepared to be gifted to former President MahindaRajapaksa for a two year period, several changes in the mansion had been made according to astrological predictions, including filling the swimming pool with sea sand.

On the advices of astrologers, the swimming pool was filled with sea sand by Rajapaksa as it was a bad omen to have a pool in the Western part of the house.

Graham Ford’s appointment as SL Cricket Head Coach

South African Graham Ford previously held position as the Head coach of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) from 2012 to 2014. Following his leave from SLC, Ford joined Surrey in 2014 and the club got promoted back to the First Division of the County Championship and reached the final of the Royal London One Day Cup in the following season.

“We are extremely disappointed to be losing Graham Ford who has not just been an outstanding Head Coach but has played an integral role in the progress that we have achieved over the last two years. – Said Alec Stewart, Surrey Director of Cricket.

He added “It was a very tough decision for Graham to leave Surrey. But we understand that the opportunity to go back and coach at international level with Sri Lanka was too good to turn down. Despite the timing of his decision, we wish Graham all the best and we will immediately start our search for a new Head Coach.”