Lalit Modi, the founder of the Indian Premier League (IPL), has surrendered his Indian passport after acquiring citizenship of Vanuatu, a small island nation in the South Pacific.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Friday that Modi has submitted an application to surrender his passport at the Indian High Commission in London.
"He has made an application for surrendering his passport in the High Commission of India, London," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated. "The request will be examined in accordance with existing rules and procedures."
Lalit Modi, who left India in 2010 and has been residing in London, is wanted by Indian law enforcement agencies. He faces allegations of embezzling crores of rupees during his tenure as the chief of the IPL.
Despite his change in nationality, Indian authorities remain committed to pursuing legal action against him. "We continue to pursue the case against him as required under law," Jaiswal added.
With Modi now a Vanuatu citizen, the development raises questions about potential legal and diplomatic challenges in bringing him to justice.