A few days after the Indian Premier League (IPL) founder Lalit Modi filed an application to submit his Indian passport at the Indian High Commission in London, Vanuatu’s Prime Minister Jitth Napat on Monday directed the Citizenship Commission to cancel the passport issued to Modi, saying that the fugitive is trying to avoid its extradition. The development has come to light after the recent revelations in the international media that the former IPL chief is desired by the Indian law enforcement agencies regarding his alleged involvement in the embezzlement of crores of rupees during his tenure as the top boss of the IPL.
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In an official media release issued by the Republic of Vanuatu, “I have directed the Citizenship Commission to cancel Vanuatu passport issued to Mr. Lalit Modi after the recent revelations in the international media.” He said that I have come to know in the last 24 hours that Interpol has rejected the request of Indian officials to issue an alert notice on Lalit Modi twice, as he has no concrete judicial evidence. Any such alert would automatically dismiss Modi’s citizenship application.
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The release also states that “the Prime Minister emphasized that keeping the passport of Vanuatu is a privilege, not rights, and applicants should take citizenship for legitimate reasons.” It says, “Any of these valid reasons does not include an attempt to avoid extradition, which recently revealed that Modi’s intention was this.” Lalit Modi, who has previously been the Vice President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), is accused of violating rigging, money laundering and foreign exchange management act, 1999 (FEMA).
