Lalit Modi rejects 'fugitive' label, blames media for the narrative

Former IPL Chairman Lalit Modi has fiercely rejected the 'fugitive' label, arguing he has never been convicted. He attributes the narrative to media sensationalism, stating it's impossible to evade a superpower like India while travelling globally.

Former Indian Premier League (IPL) Chairman Lalit Modi has fiercely rejected the 'fugitive' label slapped on him, pointing out that he has never been convicted of a single crime. In an exclusive interview with ANI, Lalit Modi mocked the idea that he is successfully hiding from Indian authorities, attributing the narrative entirely to media sensationalism rather than legal reality.

Modi Blames Media for 'Fugitive' Narrative

He rubbished claims that he is on the run, arguing that evading a global superpower like India while travelling the world is an impossibility. "I'm not running at all. I'm going all over the world. If I was running, you would be picking me up somewhere or the other. The Indian government has a long arm... You can't take on the government of India. And I don't intend to. It's not the government. It's the media," he said.

Lalit blamed the lack of strict defamation laws in India for the relentless media trials, stating, "You have no libel in your country, in our country. You can say what you want and I sell news."

Legal Battles and Judicial Scrutiny

Addressing the complex web of legal battles back home, including disciplinary actions by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and intense scrutiny by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Lalit Modi highlighted the lack of concrete legal resolution. While he faces allegations of bid-rigging, money laundering, and violating the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) stemming from his 2010 departure, he emphasised that no criminal charges have stuck.

Lalit Modi lamented the Indian judicial system, calling it a form of penalisation in itself. "It never gets heard in our country. Justice comes. I don't know when it comes. The slow justice is a punishment as well. Not a single case against me has been registered. If I have been so bad, and everybody says I've been so bad, OK, please, guys, go out and prosecute me."

No Desire to Return to India

When pressed on whether he plans to return to India to formally clear his name, the former cricket tycoon made it clear that his priorities have shifted. The burning desire to prove a point is gone. "There was a time when I did want to come back. And I had all the reasons to come back. Come back and do what?... I don't need to prove to anybody," Lalit Modi stated.

He further questioned the basis of any potential detention, "Arrest you want to do, you have to take me to court. 17 years you haven't taken me to court. How can you arrest me today? If there was something there, it would be out."

Authorities Continue Pursuit

Despite Lalit Modi's dismissal of the claims, Indian regulatory bodies remain on his trail. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating alleged financial misconduct, money laundering, and unauthorised fund transfers during his IPL tenure, while the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is pursuing extradition protocols under both Indian and international law.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)