Ranatunga challenges decision to sack him as SLC chief

Colombo, Jan 24 (PTI) Sri Lanka's World Cup winning
captain Arjuna Ranatunga has challenged the Sports Ministry's
decision to sack him as Sri Lanka Cricket chief in the Supreme
Court.

Ranatunga has filed a Fundamental Rights application in
the country's top court challenging Sports Minister Gamini
Lokuge's decision to remove him as head of the interim
Committee of SLC last month.

The former captain has prayed the Court to rule the
Sports Minister's decision to remove him from the said post as
null and void besides demanding Rs 15 million as compensation
for the "massive damage caused to his reputation".

Ranatunga in his application, earlier this week, cited
Lokuge, Sports Ministry Secretary S Liyanagamage and three
others as respondents.

Ranatunga was appointed as the Chairman of the Interim
Committee of SLC on January 1, 2008 and removed on December
23, 2008 and he claimed that during this period Sports
Minister Lokuge had interfered with the matters in SLC.

Ranatunga, who is also a Member of Parliament, told the
House yesterday that he moved the top court to seek "justice
against waste and corruption that has taken place in the Sri
Lanka Cricket Board".

He said he had to take his case before the top courts to
clear his name.

"I briefed the authorities several times about the waste
and corruption that is rampant in the Cricket Board," the
State run 'Daily News' quoted him as saying.

"Corruption is rampant in the Board today and none of
authorities listened to me," he said.

"My name has been slurred as several corrupt officials
have made damaging allegations against me. That is why I
wanted to go before the Court," Ranatunga had told the
Parliament.

Last month, Lokuge dissolved the interim administration
of Sri Lanka Cricket, headed by Ranatunga, saying the SLC
needed an immediate change of hands.

The Sports Secretary, S Liyanagama was appointed to
oversee the SLC administration until a decision is taken on a
new board.

According to sources, the immediate issue for Ranatunga's
removal was, however, the sacking of 16 SLC employees by him
without consultation with the Ministry. PTI TVS
DEP