Former Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner Lalit Modi has applied to surrender his Indian passport at the High Commission of India in London, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed on Friday.
“Lalit Modi has made an application for surrendering his passport in the High Commission of India, London. 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,” Jaiswal said.
Modi, who served as the vice-president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), faces allegations of bid-rigging and money laundering, along with violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA). He left India in 2010 amid an investigation into financial irregularities, including unauthorised fund transfers.
Recently, Modi made headlines after introducing his new girlfriend, Rime Bouri, on Valentine’s Day 2025, sharing pictures and revealing that their 25-year friendship had turned into love. He was previously in the news in 2022 for his brief relationship with Bollywood actress Sushmita Sen.
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MEA On Tahawwur Rana’s Extradition As He Renews Plea to Halt Extradition to India
Meanwhile, the MEA stated that India is closely coordinating with US authorities on the matter of the Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana’s extradition. “You would have seen President Trump’s comments regarding the extradition of Tahawwur Rana. The Joint Statement also reflects this sentiment. We are working closely with the US Government to complete the necessary formalities to allow for his extradition to India,” Jaiswal said.
US President Donald Trump had earlier confirmed the extradition approval during a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House last month.
The MEA’s comment comes as Tahawwur Rana has renewed his application before US Chief Justice John Roberts, seeking a stay on his extradition to India. This comes after the US Supreme Court rejected his emergency bid earlier this week.
The 64-year-old, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, is currently lodged in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles. He had initially submitted an emergency application on 27 February to Associate Justice Elena Kagan, seeking a stay on his extradition, which was denied on 6 March, according to the US Supreme Court website.
In his renewed plea, Rana argued that his extradition would violate US law and the United Nations Convention Against Torture, citing “substantial grounds” to believe he would face torture in India.
“The likelihood of torture in this case is even higher as petitioner faces acute risk as a Muslim of Pakistani origin charged in the Mumbai attacks,” his application stated, as per news agency PTI.
Rana also cited severe medical conditions, including multiple heart attacks, Parkinson’s disease, suspected bladder cancer, stage 3 chronic kidney disease, asthma, and a history of COVID-19 infections. His legal team described extradition to India as a “de facto death sentence.”
His counsel also questioned the basis for his extradition approval by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who authorised it on 11 February. The legal team sought full records of any commitments India made regarding Rana’s treatment but alleged that the US government had declined to provide any information.
“The issues raised by petitioner merit full and careful consideration, and the stakes are enormous for him. The very least the US courts owe the petitioner is a full chance to litigate these issues,” the application said. It warned that without a stay, Rana “will soon be dead.”
