Vanuatu PM orders cancellation of Lalit Modi’s passport

An official media release by 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."

New Delhi: Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat ordered the cancellation of the passport issued by the South Pacific nation to former Indian Premier League (IPL) chief Lalit Modi, saying that the business tycoon sought the island country's citizenship to evade extradition to India. The move followed prompting from New Delhi.

A statement issued by the office of Napat quoted him emphasising that holding a Vanuatu passport is a privilege, not a right, and applicants must seek citizenship for legitimate reasons.

“None of those legitimate reasons include attempting to avoid extradition,” said the prime minister of the small island nation. He pointed out that the recent facts brought to light clearly indicated that Lalit Modi intended to avoid his extradition to India.

Lalit Modi, once a promoter of the IPL cricket tournament, is wanted by the Directorate of Enforcement of India for his alleged involvement in economic offences.

He has been residing in London since fleeing India in 2010 in the wake of an investigation into his alleged involvement in money laundering.

He recently wrote to the Indian mission in London, expressing his intention to surrender his Indian passport. This decision came after he obtained citizenship in Vanuatu.

“I have instructed the Citizenship Commission to cancel the passport issued to Lalit Modi following recent revelations in international media,” Napat said. “While all standard background checks, including Interpol screenings, conducted during his application showed no criminal convictions, I have been made aware that Interpol twice rejected Indian authorities' requests to issue an alert notice on Lalit Modi.” He said any such "alert" would have triggered an automatic rejection of the application.

A source told DH that Vanuatu decided to cancel Modi's passport after the High Commission of India in Wellington contacted Napat’s office, conveying India’s expectation that his citizenship would be revoked.