Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat has directed the country’s Citizenship Commission to revoke the passport issued to former IPL chief Lalit Modi. The decision follows media reports revealing that Modi had obtained Vanuatu citizenship, prompting concerns over the legitimacy of his application.
Vanuatu government’s stance
PM Napat emphasized that Vanuatu citizenship is a privilege, not a right, and applicants must seek it for legitimate reasons. He asserted that attempting to avoid extradition does not qualify as a valid reason for obtaining a Vanuatu passport.
The Prime Minister further disclosed that while Interpol screenings conducted during Modi’s application showed no criminal convictions, he was recently informed that Interpol twice rejected India’s requests to issue an alert notice on Modi due to a lack of substantive judicial evidence. Had an alert been issued, it would have automatically disqualified Modi from obtaining citizenship.
India’s response and legal proceedings
Last Friday, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that Lalit Modi had applied to surrender his Indian passport at the Indian High Commission in London. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that the request is under review per existing rules, and India will continue its legal proceedings against him as required by law.
Lalit Modi’s legal troubles
Lalit Modi is wanted by Indian authorities for alleged financial irregularities and embezzlement during his tenure as the Indian Premier League (IPL) chief. He fled India in 2010 and has been residing in London ever since.
Vanuatu’s citizenship policy tightening
The Vanuatu government has strengthened due diligence measures in its Citizenship by Investment Programme over the past four years. The new process includes triple-agency checks, including Interpol verification, which has led to an increase in rejected applications due to stricter financial scrutiny.
With this latest development, Lalit Modi may face further legal and diplomatic challenges as India continues to pursue action against him.
