IPL Scam: Vanuatu Revokes Economic Fugitive Lalit Modi’s Citizenship Amid Fresh Scrutiny Over Extradition Evasion

The government of Vanuatu has announced the cancellation of the Vanuatu passport granted to former IPL chairman Lalit Modi, after fresh concerns emerged over his alleged intent to evade extradition from India, reported The Indian Express.

A media release issued by Vanuatu's Prime Minister Jotham Napat’s office confirmed that he had directed the Citizenship Commission to begin proceedings for revoking Modi’s citizenship.

“I have instructed the Citizenship Commission to immediately begin proceedings to cancel Mr Modi’s Vanuatu passport,” Napat stated.

He further added, “I have been made aware in the past 24 hours that Interpol twice rejected Indian authorities’ requests to issue an alert notice on Mr Modi due to lack of substantive judicial evidence. Any such alert would have triggered an automatic rejection of Mr Modi’s citizenship application.”

Last week, Lalit Modi had announced his decision to surrender his Indian passport, having already acquired citizenship of Vanuatu, a small Pacific nation offering citizenship through investment programmes.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) responded, with spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stating, “Lalit Modi has made an application to surrender his passport in the High Commission of India, London. The same will be examined in light of extant rules and procedures.”

Modi, regarded as the architect of the Indian Premier League (IPL), is being pursued by Indian agencies for alleged forex violations and a Rs 425 crore IPL broadcast rights deal with World Sports Group in 2009. He fled to the UK in 2010 after attending only one session with enforcement officials.