IPL founder Lalit Modi is living as a fugitive in London, hiding from Indian laws. But the troubled former cricket administrator grabbed headlines when he introduced actor Sushmita Sen as his ‘better looking partner’.
At the peak of his career, Lalit Modi served as the founder, first president and commissioner of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and ran the tournament for three years. He has led the Champions League, the Rajasthan Cricket Association and has been the second-in-command of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Punjab Cricket Association.
But it all came crashing down in 2010, when Cricket Czar had to flee India amid investigations into allegations of tax evasion and money laundering.
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fall from grace
His expulsion from Indian cricket was as swift and unexpected as his meteoric rise. In the final of the third edition of the IPL in April 2010, he arrived by a chartered flight and, with the two captains playing the final, detailed the schedule of the fourth season.
The extravaganza was proof that he was still unaware of his impending doom.
The tricks and glamor lasted until the final match – what happened to the season and his life.
Minutes after the last ball was bowled, the BCCI served him a suspension notice with a 34-page letter exposing nearly two dozen allegations.
Thereafter, three show cause notices were issued. BCCI was not satisfied with his reply.
Allegations against Lalit Modi
Modi had allegedly violated the confidentiality agreement between the IPL franchise and the BCCI by tweeting details of the ownership of the defunct Kochi team.
This was followed by more allegations – financial irregularities, rigging of broadcast deals, planning a parallel IPL in England and rigging franchise auctions.
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The last blow came in September 2010 when he was finally sacked.
The expulsion was just the beginning of his end.
run with the officers
In March 2011, Modi’s passport was canceled by the authorities at the behest of the Enforcement Directorate. The agency had managed to issue a Blue Corner notice against him for his alleged role in the violation of foreign exchange laws in the IPL.
It was suspected that Modi had earned foreign exchange worth crores outside India by abusing his position as IPL chief.
As soon as the agencies started their investigation, Modi did not appear before the ED.
escape from india
Three years later, in 2014, the Delhi High Court restored his passport. Less than 30 days later, Keith Vaz, a British MP of Indian origin, asked UK officials to expedite Modi’s documents, citing the then Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, who had reportedly told him that India should There is no objection to Modi’s foreign travel.
With his travel documents, Modi visited Portugal for the first time where his wife was reportedly undergoing treatment for cancer. He then visited several European countries, posting about his travels on social media.
His visit to Britain created a political turmoil in India, with the opposition accusing the Center of aiding him in his escape. Sushma Swaraj and Vasundhara Raje were hit by the storm.
In December 2018, Lalit Modi’s wife Minal passed away after battling cancer.
In a heartfelt tweet, Modi wrote: “My love my life my soulmate. You are at peace at last and I am sure you will keep an eye on us. You have been my life and my journey and now I must continue as you promised to ensure that our children are safe and cherished and loved and I know you will always be there.
New Beginning
Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi announced a “fresh start” with Sushmita Sen on social media, leaving netizens in a frenzy. The post created a lot of buzz on social media, with many speculating whether the two would tie the knot soon.
However, the former IPL boss soon clarified that the two are ‘just dating’.
Also read: | Lalit Modi changed Instagram DP after announcing his dating with Sushmita Sen
— the ending —