Port Vila [Vanuatu]: Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat has directed the Citizenship Commission to cancel the passport of Lalit Modi, the former Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner, following recent revelations in international media, as reported by the Vanuatu Daily Post.
Key Reasons for Passport Cancellation
- The decision was based on media reports suggesting that Lalit Modi was attempting to evade extradition to India.
- A statement from the Prime Minister’s office clarified that since Interpol had twice rejected requests for an alert on Modi, the application for a Vanuatu passport was initially not rejected. Standard background checks did not reveal any criminal convictions at the time of the passport issuance.
Allegations Against Lalit Modi
- Lalit Modi, who previously served as the vice-president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), faces accusations of:
- Bid-rigging
- Money laundering
- Violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA)
- He left India in 2010 amid investigations into alleged financial misconduct, including unauthorized fund transfers.
Indian Government’s Response
On March 7, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed awareness of Modi’s application to surrender his Indian passport at the Indian High Commission in London. Jaiswal stated:
“We continue to pursue all cases against him as per the law. The application will be examined in light of existing rules and procedures.”
Prime Minister’s Statement on Vanuatu Citizenship
The Vanuatu Prime Minister emphasized that holding a Vanuatu passport is a privilege, not a right, and applicants must seek citizenship for legitimate reasons.
Lalit Modi’s Response
On March 8, Lalit Modi, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), denied any pending cases against him in Indian courts, stating:
“No court of law in India has a case pending against me personally. It’s only media fiction… The only thing I have done single-handedly is create a globally loved product called IPL.”
Current Status
- Lalit Modi is currently based in London and had applied to surrender his Indian passport after acquiring Vanuatu citizenship.
- The cancellation of his Vanuatu passport raises questions about his legal status and next steps regarding extradition proceedings to India.