Lalit Modi, the founding chairman of Indian Premier League, has been dwelling in London since 2010. Whereas he has been embroiled in contrversies, he’s credicted for the success of IPL.
There is no end to the Lalit Modi vs BCCI saga. The former chairman of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has sought relief from the Supreme Court for a Rs 10.65 Cr fine. Modi wants the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to pay the fine as the board’s by-laws obligated them to indemnify him.
Lalit Modi was imposed a Rs 10.65 Cr fine by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of India for alleged FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act) violations during the IPL 2009 in South Africa.
Why was Lalit Modi fined?
The ED imposed a penalty of Rs 10.65 crore on Modi in May 2018, as part of a larger Rs 121.56 crore fine levied on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), its former chairman N. Srinivasan, and others. The violations involved the transfer of funds abroad for the IPL, which violated Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines. Specifically, the ED’s investigation focused on financial irregularities related to the granting of overseas telecast rights and other transactions during the 2009 IPL edition.
In December 2024, the Bombay High Court dismissed Modi’s earlier petition, rejecting his claim that BCCI’s by-laws obligated the board to indemnify him for the penalty. The court termed Modi’s demands “wholly misconceived” and ordered him to pay Rs 1 lakh in costs within four weeks. Modi made the payment as per the order.
Modi moves Supreme Court
Lalit Modi’s lawyers filed a special leave petition to contend that Rule 34 of the Rules and Regulations of Memorandum of Association of the BCCI requires the board to indemnify its office bearers for loss arising out of their official actions. Modi, BCCI Vice President between 2005 and 2010 and IPL Chairman between 2007 and 2010, asserted the BCCI had selectively indemnified other office bearers like Honorary Secretary N Srinivasan and Treasurer MP Pandove for equivalent penalties. He further accused the BCCI of discriminatory behaviour.
The row dates back to 2010 when the BCCI suspended Modi on charges of misconduct, indiscipline, and financial malpractices, including unauthorized management of broadcasting rights and mismatches in the IPL franchise bidding process. A probe by a BCCI committee led to a lifetime ban on Modi in 2013, excluding him from all board activities. Modi currently resides in London.
Lalit Modi vs BCCI timeline
- 2005: Appointed Vice President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
- 2005-2008: Drives BCCI’s commercial growth, increasing revenues sevenfold to over $1 billion.
- 2008: Founds and becomes Chairman and Commissioner of the Indian Premier League (IPL), launching it as a franchise-based T20 cricket league. The IPL becomes a global phenomenon, valued at over $4 billion. Named one of the world’s best sports executives by Time magazine (16th rank) and hailed as a transformative figure in cricket.
- 2009: Successfully organised the IPL in South Africa due to India’s general elections. But this move leads to scrutiny over foreign exchange transactions.
- 2010:
- April: Sparks controversy by tweeting ownership details of the Kochi Tuskers Kerala IPL franchise, alleging Congress minister Shashi Tharoor held indirect equity, leading to Tharoor’s resignation. The Kochi franchise accuses Modi of harassment.
- April 25: Suspended by BCCI after the IPL final for alleged misconduct, indiscipline, and financial irregularities, including bid-rigging and unauthorized broadcast deals. Receives a 34-page show-cause notice with nearly two dozen charges.
- May: Flees India for London, citing death threats from underworld don Dawood Ibrahim due to his anti-corruption stance against match-fixing. Claims Mumbai police warned him of an imminent attack.
- September: Sacked as IPL Chairman by BCCI after an unsatisfactory response to the show-cause notice.
- 2011: The Indian government revokes Modi’s passport, and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) issues a Blue Corner Notice for alleged violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) involving crores worth of forex transactions during the IPL.
- 2013: BCCI bans Modi for life for “serious misconduct and indiscipline” after a committee investigation into financial irregularities and bid-rigging. Modi denies wrongdoing, alleging political rivalries, and vows to fight the ban.
- 2014-2015: Briefly returns as RCA President but is ousted amid ongoing controversies.
- 2015: Mumbai special court issues a non-bailable arrest warrant for alleged money laundering. Modi remains in London, claiming life threats and denying fugitive status.
- 2018: ED imposes a Rs 10.65 crore fine on Modi for FEMA violations during the 2009 IPL in South Africa, part of a Rs 121.56 crore penalty on BCCI and others.
- 2022: UK High Court orders Modi to pay $800,000 to former model Gurpreet Gill Maag for deceit and breach of contract. Announces relationship with actress Sushmita Sen, later clarified as dating, not marriage.
- 2023: Supreme Court closes contempt proceedings against Modi after he apologizes for remarks against the judiciary.
- 2024: Bombay High Court dismisses Modi’s petition to have BCCI pay his Rs 10.65 crore FEMA fine, calling it “frivolous” and imposing a Rs 1 lakh cost.
- 2025: Petitions the Supreme Court to demand that BCCI indemnify him for the 2018 FEMA penalty.
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