Sri Lanka Cricket's chief financial officer Wimal Nandika Dissanayake has been arrested after Sony TV reported him to the police ©SLC

Police have arrested Wimal Nandika Dissanayake, the chief financial officer of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), for suspected financial misappropriation linked with awarding broadcast rights to Sony TV, it has been revealed. 

The International Cricket Council (ICC) claimed earlier this month that its Anti-Corruption Unit was investigating serious allegations in Sri Lankan cricket and had provided a detailed briefing to the country's Government.

"Following the investigation the CID (Criminal Investigation Department) arrested the main suspect," Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara told Reuters.

"He is the chief financial officer of Sri Lanka Cricket,"

The 42-year-old Dissanayake was arrested after the SLC's chief executive lodged a complaint to the police over financial fraud, Gunasekara said.

Sony TV have been Sri Lanka Cricket's broadcast partners since 2013 but became suspicious after the governing body's chief financial officer Wimal Nandika Dissanayake asked them for a 50 per cent deposit ©Sony TV
Sony TV have been Sri Lanka Cricket's broadcast partners since 2013 but became suspicious after the governing body's chief financial officer Wimal Nandika Dissanayake asked them for a 50 per cent deposit ©Sony TV

"The complaint says the SLC's television rights have been going to Sony since 2013," Gunasekara said.

"At the last South African tour, this main suspect asked Sony to deposit 15 percent of the television rights fees to a private account in America."

It is allged amount of money misappropriated was more than $187,000 (£144,000/€163,000) .

"Sony became suspicious when this suspect informed it [of the requirement] for a deposit of 50 percent of television rights fees from an ongoing England tour and it informed Sri Lanka Cricket." Gunasekara said.

The arrest came a week after former Sri Lanka captain and selector Sanath Jayasuriya was charged with two counts of breaching the ICC's Anti-Corruption Code.