Vanuatu PM revokes Lalit Modi’s passport
On March 7, Modi submitted an application to the Indian High Commission in London to surrender his Indian passport.
On March 7, Modi submitted an application to the Indian High Commission in London to surrender his Indian passport.
On March 7, Modi submitted an application to the Indian High Commission in London to surrender his Indian passport.
Port Vila: Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat on Monday instructed the Citizenship Commission to revoke the passport granted to former Indian Premier League (IPL) founder Lalit Modi. The move comes amid concerns that Modi was using his Vanuatu citizenship to evade extradition.
On March 7, Modi submitted an application to the Indian High Commission in London to surrender his Indian passport. He is known to have obtained citizenship of Vanuatu, a South Pacific island nation, and has been residing in London since leaving India in 2010.
A media release from the Republic of Vanuatu stated, “I have instructed the Citizenship Commission to cancel the Vanuatu passport issued to Lalit Modi following recent revelations in international media."
The statement also revealed that Interpol had twice denied India’s request for an alert notice against Modi due to "lack of substantive judicial evidence," which, if approved, would have automatically disqualified him from obtaining Vanuatu citizenship.
The release further noted that "the Prime Minister emphasised that holding a Vanuatu passport is a privilege, not a right, and applicants must seek citizenship for legitimate reasons.'' It concluded by stating that ''none of those legitimate reasons include attempting to avoid extradition, which the recent facts brought to light clearly indicate was Modi’s intention.''