Vanuatu Revokes Former IPL Chief Lalit Modi's Passport Amid Extradition Allegations

Vanuatu's Prime Minister has ordered the cancellation of Lalit Modi's passport following media reports suggesting that the former IPL commissioner was evading extradition to India. Despite previous Interpol rejections, Vanuatu issued a passport to Modi, who denies any pending legal actions against him in India.

Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat has instructed the country's Citizenship Commission to revoke the passport of former Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner Lalit Modi. This decision comes in response to international media reports indicating Modi may be avoiding extradition to India to face legal proceedings.

The annulment of Modi's passport follows Interpol's repeated refusal to issue alerts on him. Despite this, Vanuatu had issued him a passport, as no criminal convictions were found during standard background checks. Modi, who served as vice-president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), faces allegations of money laundering and circumventing the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

Modi fled India in 2010 amid investigations into financial misconduct and unauthorized fund transfers. Recently, he applied to surrender his Indian passport after obtaining Vanuatu citizenship. As India continues to press charges, Modi claims no legal cases are pending against him, attributing the pursuit to 'media fiction.'

(With inputs from agencies.)