Indian court issues arrest warrant for Modi

Ex-IPL chief wanted over allegations of money laundering.

MUMBAI: A special court in India issued an arrest warrant on Wednesday for exiled former cricket boss Lalit Modi over allegations of money laundering linked to a lucrative television deal, said an official.

The court in the financial capital, Mumbai, granted the non-bailable warrant after ex-Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Modi failed to answer a summons ordering his return from London to face corruption allegations.

A senior Enforcement Directorate officer confirmed via text message that the warrant had been issued by the court, which hears money laundering cases.

“Yes, we have received the warrant for Modi’s arrest,” said the official from India’s financial crimes investigating agency on condition of anonymity.

Modi was instrumental in founding and overseeing the money-spinning Twenty20 IPL in 2008 before fleeing to London two years later when tax and financial crime authorities raided his premises.

Enforcement Directorate officers want to speak to him in connection with allegations that proceeds from the TV deal were funnelled to unauthorised beneficiaries in Singapore and Mauritius.

The Multi Screen Media (MSM) of Sony Entertainment paid a facilitation fee of $67 million to the Mauritius arm of World Sports Group (WSG) as part of a contract for taking over broadcast rights to the IPL.

The Enforcement Directorate is probing if part of this fee was allegedly siphoned off to unknown individuals, at the behest of Modi who was then IPL chairman.

Modi, who has consistently denied all accusations against him, was removed as chairman in 2010 and later banned for life from holding any positions in the sport by the powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 6^th,  2015.

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