Match-fixing scandal erupts amid IPL as Indian national sentenced to 4 years in jail

An Indian national, Yogi Patel, has been sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment by a Sri Lankan court for attempting to fix matches during the 2024 Legends League T20 tournament. Patel was found guilty of manipulating match outcomes, and the verdict was delivered by the high court in Matale, as per PTI.

Yogi Patel, the manager of Kandy Samp Army in the 2024 Legends League T20, was convicted of match-fixing in Sri Lanka. The Indian national was found guilty of attempting to manipulate match outcomes by approaching Sri Lanka’s Chief Selector, Upul Tharanga, with a proposal to fix matches during the event.

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Yogi Patel Sentenced, Upul Tharanga Awarded Compensation

Upul Tharanga reported the incident, which led to Patel's arrest and trial. Patel was arrested in March 2024 but was released on bail in May under strict conditions. He fled the country despite being under a travel ban.

His lawyers claimed he left due to death threats. The judge directed the police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to request an Interpol warrant for his arrest. Patel was tried in absentia before being sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment for his involvement in match-fixing.

Yogi Patel Sentenced to Four Years in Prison and Fined SLR 85 Million for Match-Fixing

Yogi Patel was sentenced to four years in prison and fined SLR 85 million for his involvement in match-fixing. He was ordered to pay SLR 2 million to Upul Tharanga as compensation for defamation.

Sri Lanka’s Prevention of Sports Related Corruption Act, in 2019, allows for prison terms of up to 10 years and hefty fines for sports-related corruption. Patel’s trial proceeded in his absence after investigations revealed he had likely fled the country via a sea route.

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Yogi Patel Is Not the First Indian National Arrested for Match-Fixing in Sri Lanka

This is not the first instance of an Indian national being arrested for match-fixing in Sri Lanka. Earlier, Prem Thakur, the owner of Galle Marvels in the Lanka T10 League, was arrested on similar charges in 2024. Prem Thakur was remanded in custody after a foreign player flagged a fixing attempt during the event.

Thakur was taken into custody a day after the tournament began and was produced before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court. Prem Thakur was remanded under the Prevention of Sports-Related Offenses Act of 2019. It was reported that a foreign player flagged his fixing attempt during the T10 tournament.

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