The Prime Minister of Vanuatu, Jotham Napat, has officially revoked citizenship granted to Lalit Modi, a fugitive businessman linked to a high-profile corruption case in India. The decision follows India’s announcement that Modi had secured Vanuatu citizenship amid an active investigation into allegations of bid rigging during his tenure with the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Prime Minister Napat stated that obtaining a Vanuatu passport is a "privilege" and emphasized that legitimate reasons must justify citizenship applications. He declared that Modi's aim appeared to be avoiding extradition from the UK, where he has resided since 2010. With India’s Foreign Ministry confirming Modi’s application to surrender his Indian passport, officials noted that they would maintain efforts to bring him to justice.
The news of Modi's citizenship had notably stirred controversy in India, redefining public interest in a figure who once epitomized the IPL's opulence and celebrity culture. As a prominent figure with ties to influential Bollywood personalities, cricketers, and major business circles, Modi had a significant presence in Indian media until the scandals forced his withdrawal from public life.
In a recent media statement, Prime Minister Napat clarified that initial background checks and Interpol screenings had revealed no previous criminal convictions against Modi. However, he mentioned that Interpol had twice turned down India's requests to issue alert notices due to insufficient judicial evidence, which would have otherwise halted Modi's citizenship application.
Indian authorities are likely to view Vanuatu's decision as a positive turn, as the Pacific nation lacks an extradition agreement with India—unlike the United Kingdom. Following the announcement, Modi claimed he faced no unresolved legal cases in India and described allegations against him as "fake news."
His controversies trace back to 2010, involving accusations of fraudulent practices during the IPO auction of IPL franchises and unauthorized agreements pertaining to broadcasting rights. Consequently, the Board of Control for Cricket in India permanently banned him from participating in any cricket-related activities in 2013.
