JOIN USHours after Lalit Modi’s photo with Mumbai Police chief Rakesh Maria, who had investigated the 26/11 terror attacks, appeared in the media, the top cop confirmed the meeting and said the former IPL chief had sought security for him and his family in London but he was asked to return to Mumbai.
Maria said he was approached by a lawyer representing Modi while he was attending a conference in London in July 2014. The lawyer cited the reason of grave threat to the life of Modi and his family. “It may be recollected that as Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) in the year 2009-10, the Crime Branch under me had foiled an attempt on his life by the Mumbai underworld,” Maria said in a press statement.
Maria personally could not be contacted and the person who attended the call said “saab is busy in a meeting”. When asked about the statement, the person said, “I don’t know” and cut the call.
According to Maria, the lawyer requested him to meet Lalit Modi briefly. “As per the lawyer’s insistence, we met albeit briefly wherein Modi sought the Mumbai Police’s help as he and his family was being threatened by the underworld,” he said.
He added that he had categorically informed Modi that the Mumbai Police has no jurisdiction in London and that he should return to Mumbai to lodge a formal complaint.
“Lalit Modi kept requesting Mumbai Police intervention against the underworld. I reiterated to Modi and his lawyer that it was imperative for Lalit Modi to return to Mumbai for the Mumbai Police to initiate any inquiry. Thereafter, the meeting which lasted for 15 to 20 minutes concluded,” he said.
He said that on his return to Mumbai, he informed the then Home Minister late R R Patil about the meeting and also kept a “confidential record” of the same.
Besides, the Anti-Extortion Cell of the Mumbai Police was also given in writing the details of what had transpired in the meeting for discreet inquiry at their end.