Vanuatu PM Revokes Lalit Modi’s Passport Over Extradition Concerns

Lalit Modi Vanuatu passport issued to the former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi, who has been classified as an economic criminal by Indian investigation agencies. Modi stated last week that he was looking to give up his Indian passport since he obtained citizenship in Vanuatu the country that is comprised made up of islands located within the Pacific Ocean.

A statement issued by the Premier Jotham Napat's office on Vanuatu Monday announced that he ordered his Citizenship Commission to cancel the Vanuatu passport issued to Lalit Modi.

In the statement, Napat said, "I have instructed the Citizenship Commission to immediately begin the process to remove Vanuatu passport cancelled Lalit Modi. I've been informed within the last day that Interpol twice turned down Indian authorities in their requests for an alarm note concerning Mr Modi because of the absence of judicially substantiated evidence. An alert like this would have led to the automatic denial of his citizenship request."

The week before, Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated: "Lalit Modi has made an application to surrender his Indian passport at the High Commission of India, London. The application will be scrutinized according to existing guidelines and procedure."

"We also be aware that he's acquired citizenship from Vanuatu. We will continue to pursue the matter against him, as is required by the law," Jaiswal had said.

Modi who was the ex-chairman of the Lalit Modi IPL and the IPL's chief architect, is subject to investigation by several agencies over forex violations as well as the TV rights of Rs 425 crore agreement in 2009 for the IPL in conjunction with World Sports Group. After attending just one interrogation in the presence of Income Tax and Enforcement Directorate officials in Mumbai in connection with the forex-related violations, Modi left for UK in May 2010. United Kingdom in May 2010.