COLOMBO, Jan 19: Sri Lankan cricket board chief Thilanga Sumathipala was remanded to custody on Monday in connection with immigration charges. Sumathipala, who is also the head of Lanka's state owned telecom company, appeared before a Colombo magistrate who refused to grant him bail without a full hearing.

The exact period of Sumathipala's custody was to be announced later. Chief of Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka had been evading arrest citing ill-health.

He has been accused of violating immigration rules while helping Dammika Amarasinghe, wanted by Sri Lankan police in several murder cases, go to England to watch the Cricket World Cup in 1999 and paying for his travel from board's money.

Sumathipala, who was sacked as board chief for various administrative irregularities in 2000 but later got re-elected after the charges were not proved, has denied links with Amarasinghe. Amarasinghe was shot dead inside court premises 10 days ago.-PPI