Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat has directed the Citizenship Commission to revoke the passport of Indian Premier League founder Lalit Modi. This decision comes after Indian authorities’ request for an Interpol alert against Lalit Modi was rejected due to insufficient evidence. Jotham Napat issued a statement confirming that despite extensive background checks revealing no criminal convictions, the rejection of the Interpol alert raised concerns about the legitimacy of Lalit Modi’s citizenship.
According to Jotham Napat, all standard background verification processes were followed during Lalit Modi’s citizenship application, including screenings conducted by Interpol. However, he was recently informed that Interpol had twice rejected India’s requests for an alert notice against Lalit Modi, citing a lack of substantial judicial evidence. If the alert had been issued, it would have automatically led to the rejection of Lalit Modi’s citizenship application under Vanuatu’s laws. Following this revelation, Jotham Napat took immediate steps to ensure that Lalit Modi’s citizenship was revoked.
Jotham Napat emphasized that obtaining a Vanuatu passport is a privilege rather than a right and that all applicants must provide a legitimate reason for seeking citizenship. He stated that the recent findings clearly indicate that Lalit Modi sought Vanuatu citizenship in an attempt to evade extradition. This, he said, is not a valid justification for acquiring citizenship under the country’s regulations.
In recent years, the Vanuatu government has implemented stricter measures to enhance the screening process for its citizenship by investment programme. These enhanced due diligence efforts have resulted in more applications failing scrutiny by the Vanuatu Financial Intelligence Unit. The updated process involves triple-agency background checks, including verification through Interpol, ensuring that individuals with questionable backgrounds do not acquire Vanuatu citizenship.
Lalit Modi, who played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Indian Premier League, has been living abroad since 2010 after facing allegations of financial irregularities and misconduct related to his tenure as Indian Premier League commissioner. His attempt to acquire Vanuatu citizenship through the country’s investment programme has now been blocked following the latest developments.
Vanuatu, an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean, consists of an archipelago of 83 islands, with 65 of them inhabited. It lies to the east of Australia and north of New Zealand, positioned midway between Australia and Fiji. The country’s capital and largest city, Port Vila, is located on Efate Island. The national language of Vanuatu is Bislama, while English and French serve as official languages.
With the cancellation of Lalit Modi’s passport, the Vanuatu government has reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining the integrity of its citizenship programme by ensuring that it does not become a refuge for individuals facing legal scrutiny elsewhere.
