Lalit Modi Eyes India Return After Major Tribunal Relief

Ex-IPL Chairman, also known as the Father of the Indian Premier League, on Wednesday (July 22) said that he intends to visit India either late this year or early next year, after he received major relief from the Appellate Tribunal in the 2009 South Africa foreign exchange case. According to Modi, this decision marks the end of a long legal battle that lasted 16 years.

In a video message posted on social media, Modi said the tribunal's verdict had finally established the truth behind his stand on the case.

"I'm really happy with the verdict. It's really been a great day. Sixteen years I have fought and whatever I have been saying to the media and to everybody has finally emerged as the truth," Modi said.

The Appellate Tribunal under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act (SAFEMA) on Tuesday quashed major punishments imposed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against Modi and other former BCCI officials related to the conduct of the 2009 IPL in South Africa.

The tribunal understood that the foreign remittances at issue didn't require prior RBI approval and also stated that Modi didn't bear any responsibility for ensuring the BCCI's compliance with the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

Lalit Modi, who has allegedly absconded from India in 2010 amid multiple charges and was living in London since then, says that the legal chapter is a thing of the past now.

"I'm going to move on in my life and I'm looking forward to coming back to India. Yes, I will come back probably at the end of this year or early next year. My daughter is due with my grandson in October and hopefully everything will be well and I'll be back in India," he said.

'My Home Remains In London' - Modi

In another post on social media platform X, Modi said that despite being away, India remained close to his heart.

"India has always been a part of who I am. The legal process has taken its course, and I respect that. I look forward to visiting my country again, meeting old friends, from time to time and contributing in every positive way I can." Modi, 62, also clarified that he will continue to live in London.

"My home remains in London, and that is where I will continue to live, but my heart has never stopped beating for India," he wrote.

Modi, whose brainchild became the behemoth that is known as the IPL today, says that his actions throughout the 2009 saga were done with the motive of keeping the IPL in good shape.

"I was only concerned with the well-being of the IPL and nothing at all. That is the most dear to me," he said.

The ED case dates back to 2009, when the IPL was moved to South Africa over its clash with the date of Lok Sabha elections across India. The agency accused Modi and other BCCI officials of violating foreign exchange rules during the tournament; however, the tribunal cleared Modi and the other officials of the main charges.