Colombo: Sri Lanka's former captain Arjuna Ranatunga and his brother have settled the criminal case against them by offering compensation to school students allegedly assaulted by them in March last year.
The students had alleged that Ranatunga, his brother Prasanna and others had beaten them up when they entered their residence here looking for a cricket ball that had landed in their premises from a school next door. The Ranatungas had vehemently denied the charge, contending that the students might have earned the wrath of domestic servants by their provocative behaviour, but faced a criminal case after some of the students were hospitalised with injuries. The case had been dragging on for months, and Ranatunga's lawyers offered to settle the matter by paying compensation. The students agreed to the offer of Rs 2,00,000 reserving their right to file a civil case for more. The settlement was arrived at before an Additional District Judge on Tuesday, according to Ranatunga's lawyers. They said the offer of cash compensation did not amount to an admission of guilt, but was only a way to end the protracted criminal proceedings. Judge Kusala Sarojani Weerawardena said the students were free to seek any civil remedy, but closed the criminal case. The two Ranatunga brothers and three others had been charged with assault, unlawful assembly and illegal detention.
Tags: cricket, colombo, sri lanka, arjuna ranatunga, additional district judge judge kusala sarojani weerawardena.
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