Strong suspicions have arisen if the state media has orchestrated a campaign to tarnish the image of cricketer Kumar Sangakkara over a fraudulent land deal.

Lands Commmissioner G.D. Keerthi Gamage issued a media statement claiming that it was Sangakkara and his wife who brought the land issue to the attention of the Land Commissioner in January, this year.

They had complained to the land commissioner that a third party had prepared forged documents pertaining to the land in question. The copies of their written complaint have now been released to the public.

The Land Commissioner said the fraudulent deal would not have been uncovered if not for the support extended by Sangakkara and his wife.

However, the state-owned Silumina newspaper today published an article indicating that Sangakkara and his wife were involved in the fraudulent deal.

The anonymous article, penned by a "sepcial correspondent", has failed to contact Sangakkara or his wife for a comment on the matter.

This has raised suspicion whether the state newspaper deliberately orchestrated a campaign against Sangakkara aiming to tarnish his reputation.