Modi and Clarke reach out-of-court settlement in libel case

Former Indian Premier League chairman Lalit Modi has settled his libel case against England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Giles Clarke out of court, an ECB statement said today.

Modi had filed a libel case against Clarke in an English court for alleging that the former IPL chairman had held talks with some English counties to form a rebel Twenty20 league.

In an e-mail sent to the then BCCI President in May 2001, Clarke had accused Modi of indulging in activities which were "detrimental to Indian cricket, English cricket and world cricket at large". That led Modi to start legal proceedings against Clarke.

But a statement from the ECB said that matters have been settled on confidential terms.

"In May 2010 Giles Clarke CBE, Chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, sent an email to the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, the contents of which were subsequently widely reported in the British and international media which resulted in libel proceedings being issued by Lalit Modi," the statement said.

"This statement confirms that the parties have agreed to settle the litigation on confidential terms," it said.

In February, Clarke had also reached an out-of-court settlement with IMG over the same issue. IMG, a sports marketing company, also reportedly took part in the meeting of Modi with the English county sides.