The Vanuatu government has revoked the passport issued to Indian Premier League (IPL) founder Lalit Modi, citing his attempts to evade extradition as an illegitimate reason for obtaining citizenship. This decision follows recent international media reports suggesting that Modi was attempting to avoid extradition to India.
The Prime Minister’s office issued a statement explaining that when Modi applied for Vanuatu citizenship, Interpol had rejected two requests to issue an alert against him. Furthermore, Modi’s background check had shown no criminal convictions, which led to the initial approval of his Vanuatu passport.
PM Napat emphasised that holding a Vanuatu passport is a privilege, not a right. He stated that applicants must seek citizenship for legitimate reasons.
Lalit Modi had applied to surrender his Indian passport after acquiring Vanuatu citizenship.
Indian Government’s Response
On March 7, in response to reports of Modi obtaining Vanuatu citizenship, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that the Indian government was aware of Modi’s attempt to surrender his Indian passport at the High Commission in London.
“We are continuing to pursue all cases against him as per the law,” Jaiswal stated. He added that the government would examine Modi’s citizenship acquisition in accordance with existing rules.
Modi’s Comments On The Issue
Lalit Modi, currently residing in London, denied the charges against him. In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on March 8, he claimed, “No court of law in India has a case pending against me personally. It’s only media fiction.” He continued, “Fifteen years have gone. But they keep saying we are going after me… this is called fake news.”
Modi also defended his actions, stating, “The only thing that I have done single-handedly is create a globally loved product called IPL.”
Lalit Modi’s Alleged Crimes
Lalit Modi, who served as the vice-president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has been accused of serious financial crimes. These include alleged bid-rigging, money laundering, and violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA). Modi left India in 2010 while under investigation for financial misconduct, including unauthorized fund transfers.
