Vanuatu Cancels Citizenship of Fugitive Indian Cricket Executive Lalit Modi

The revocation of Lalit Modi's citizenship marks a significant development in an ongoing legal saga involving corruption charges and international law.

Vanuatu's Prime Minister Jotham Napat has ordered the cancellation of citizenship for Lalit Modi, the former chairman of the Indian Premier League (IPL), who is currently a fugitive in the UK, evading Indian authorities due to serious corruption allegations. Three days prior to this announcement, India's foreign ministry had confirmed Modi’s acquisition of Vanuatu citizenship, which had raised concerns in India, a country where he once held celebrity status within the cricketing world.

Lalit Modi has been accused of various corrupt practices during his term as IPL chief, including manipulating bid processes for team franchises. India's extradition attempts have been hampered by the lack of a formal treaty with Vanuatu and India's challenges in providing substantial evidence for the extradition requests. Meanwhile, Modi has consistently denied any wrongdoing, labeling the allegations as unfounded.

In a media statement, Prime Minister Napat emphasized that Vanuatu citizenship should be sought for valid reasons, stating that avoiding extradition certainly does not qualify. He clarified that initial background checks on Modi had not flagged any criminal records, attributing the change in citizenship status to new evidence revealing Modi's intentions to dodge judicial scrutiny.

On social media, Modi responded to his citizenship revocation by asserting that he is not facing any legal challenges in Indian courts and criticized media narratives that present him in a negative light.

As a pioneer in the creation of the IPL, launched in 2008, Modi played a pivotal role in what has developed into a significant financial venture in global sports. However, following the allegations and subsequent investigation by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), he was banned from participating in any cricket-related activities in 2013. This unprecedented revocation from Vanuatu adds a new layer to the ongoing legal struggles surrounding Modi’s case, igniting discussions internationally on the implications of such citizenship acquisitions by individuals facing serious charges in their home countries.