Days after former Indian Premier League (IPL) founder Lalit Modi filed an application with the Indian High Commission in London to surrender his Indian passport, Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat on Monday directed the Citizenship Commission to cancel Modi’s Vanuatu passport. The move follows allegations that Modi was attempting to evade extradition.
The move follows global media reports that the former IPL commissioner is being sought by Indian authorities for his suspected role in the embezzlement of crores of rupees when he was the league's head honcho.
A formal statement from the Republic of Vanuatu announced, "I have instructed the Citizenship Commission to revoke the Vanuatu passport granted to Mr. Lalit Modi in light of recent developments in international media."
The release also mentioned that Interpol had twice refused India's appeal for issuing an alert notice against Modi because of a "lack of substantive judicial evidence." It also added that any such alert would have automatically ruled Modi out for receiving Vanuatu citizenship.
Vanuatu’s Prime Minister underscored that “holding a Vanuatu passport is a privilege, not a right, and applicants must seek citizenship for legitimate reasons.” He added that “none of those legitimate reasons include attempting to avoid extradition, which the recent facts brought to light clearly indicate was Mr. Modi’s intention.”
Modi, a former vice president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), is charged with bid-rigging, money laundering, and FEMA violations, 1999. He escaped India in 2010 while being investigated for financial irregularities, including illegal fund transfers.
Sources indicate that India’s High Commissioner to New Zealand, Neeta Bhushan, along with diplomats from other island nations, played a significant role in securing the cancellation of Modi’s Vanuatu passport.
On March 7, Modi submitted an application to surrender his Indian passport, a move later confirmed by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
"He has submitted a request for surrendering his passport at the High Commission of India in London," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. "The same will be considered against the existing rules and procedures. We understand he has also obtained Vanuatu citizenship. We are still pursuing the case against him as per the law."
Modi, who has been living in London for more than a decade, is now under closer scrutiny as India pursues legal action to extradite him.
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