Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat on Monday directed the Citizenship Commission to cancel Lalit Modi’s passport. Attempting to avoid extradition is no legitimate reason for gaining the privilege of Vanuatu passport and citizenship, the PM said in a statement.
Earlier, Lalit Modi had filed an application with the Indian High Commission in London to surrender his Indian passport as a part of becoming a citizen of the South Pacific Island nation.
Modi left India in 2010 and has been living in London ever since. The former IPL chief is wanted by Indian law enforcement agencies in connection with allegations that he was involved in the embezzlement of crores of rupees during his stint as the top boss of the IPL.
"He has made an application for surrendering his passport in the high commission of India, London," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
"The same will be examined in light of extant rules and procedures. We are also given to understand that he has acquired citizenship of Vanuatu. We continue to pursue the case against him as required under law," he said.
IN PICS | Vanuatu: Facts about the island nation that has given citizenship to Lalit Modi
PM Napat said it was brought to his attention that Interpol had twice rejected India's request to issue an alert notice on Lalit Modi. Vanuatu has no intention to become a safe haven for an individual who seems to have no other reason but to avoid extradition to apply for citizenship, the Prime Minister said.
"None of those legitimate reasons include attempting to avoid extradition, which the recent facts brought to light clearly indicate was Lalit Modi's intention," his statement said.
READ VANUATU PRIME MINISTER'S STATEMENT IN FULL HERE:
Monday 10th March 2025 - Prime Minister Jotham Napat has today directed the Citizenship Commission to cancel the Vanuatu passport issued to Mr Lalit Modi following recent revelations in international media.
"I have instructed the Citizenship Commission to immediately begin proceedings to cancel Mr Modi's Vanuatu passport.
Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat directs the Citizenship Commission to cancel the Vanuatu passport issued to Lalit Modi. pic.twitter.com/Ogqgqv5JZj
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 10, 2025
"While all standard background checks, including Interpol screenings, conducted during his application showed no criminal convictions, I have been made aware in the past 24 hours that Interpol twice rejected Indian authorities' requests to issue an alert notice on Mr Modi due to lack of substantive judicial evidence. Any such alert would have triggered an automatic rejection of Mr Modi's citizenship application," says Prime Minister Napat.
The Prime Minister emphasised that holding a Vanuatu passport is a privilege, not a right, and applicants must seek citizenship for legitimate reasons.
"None of those legitimate reasons include attempting to avoid extradition, which the recent facts brought to light clearly indicate was Mr Modi's intension," says the Prime Minister.
The Government of Vanuatu has significantly strengthened the due diligence aspect of its Citizenship by Investment Programme over the past four years, resulting in a marked increase in applications failing the enhanced scrutiny undertaken by the Vanuatu Financial Intelligence Unit. The improved process implemented several years ago includes triple- agency checks, including Interpol verification.
