Lalit Modi probe set to hit a dead endBy KANISHKA SINGH | NEW DELHI | 29 November, 2015
The Lalit Modi case is all set to hit a dead end as the chances of his return to India get increasingly bleak, say officers connected with the case. Lalit Modi is wanted in several cases of financial irregularities during his tenure as chairman of the Indian Premier League.
The “Modigate” controversy started a political slugfest earlier this year, when the opposition parties accused the BJP of shielding the ex-IPL boss and resulted in a washout of the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
What has given rise to worries among investigators is the brazenness with which Lalit Modi, despite an Interpol notice against him, posted on Instagram his photograph with ex-Interpol chief Ronald Noble. In the photo they are seen attending a football match in Barcelona, Spain.
In the post, Lalit Modi described Noble as his “brother”. Noble served as the head of Interpol from 2000 to 2014. In July 2015, a series of emails revealed Modi’s ties with Noble and his brother James. James and Modi had agreed to enter into a joint business venture relating to a property worth $365,000 in the United States.
“By the time the investigation gained speed, it was already too late. Lalit Modi had a blue-corner notice against him, but even then an ex-Interpol officer got his photo clicked with him. It should explain why the case has dragged on for years. There has been no official request for a red corner notice (RCN) against Lalit Modi yet,” said an Interpol officer in Delhi, requesting anonymity.
He further said that “Blue notices have been issued against him in the past. We want justice to be done if he is guilty. However, to be realistic, there are little to no chances of Lalit Modi being brought back to India. At least not in the near future,” he added.
Modi’s lawyer Mehmood Abdi had recently said: “It is a matter of political vendetta.” He had also said that Lalit Modi had been “hounded by the Congress ever since the Shashi Tharoor-Sunanda Pushkar controversy” came to light in 2010.
THE DOWNFALL
A BCCI inquiry had put a stop to Modi’s revelries in 2010. “In 2010, he (Modi) made a lot of enemies which included some of the senior cricket board (BCCI) members. The Kochi exposé backstabbed him; it contributed to his dramatic downfall,” said a source within the BCCI.
Modi’s lawyer Mehmood Abdi had recently said: “It is a matter of political vendetta.” He had also said that Lalit Modi had been “hounded by the Congress ever since the Shashi Tharoor-Sunanda Pushkar controversy” came to light in 2010.
THE DOWNFALL
A BCCI inquiry had put a stop to Modi’s revelries in 2010. “In 2010, he (Modi) made a lot of enemies which included some of the senior cricket board (BCCI) members. The Kochi exposé backstabbed him; it contributed to his dramatic downfall,” said a source within the BCCI.
Sharad Pawar put him in charge of BCCI’s marketing affairs in 2005. Under him, the BCCI’s profit soared to over Rs 6,300 crore in 2006.
Cut to 2008, Modi’s brainchild, the IPL, took the economics of cricket to a whole new level. IPL was a runaway success and became synonymous with Lalit Modi. The third edition of the IPL saw two new franchises make an entry — Subrata Roy’s Pune Warriors and Kochi Tuskers. At present, the IPL brand is worth more than $4 billion.
Hours after the franchise agreement had been signed, Modi took to social media revealing that among the shareholders, 4.75% of the sweat equity was owned by the now deceased Sunanda Pushkar, wife of Congress leader and then Union minister Shashi Tharoor. Tharoor was eventually forced to step down from his post as minister over allegations of holding a hidden stake in the team.
“It was LaMo’s vision. Look where Indian cricket stands now. He was the game changer.
Unfortunately, the fairy tale was not to last for long. There are various stakeholders who may be pulling the strings in this investigation. You never know. But it is clear that he left a lasting impact on the game. IPL is one of the most loved tournaments in world cricket,” said a serving member of the IPL governing council adding that, “maybe Modi felt that he was being victimised. After all, he is not convicted yet and he isn’t hiding.”
BCCI’s inquiry report on the Kochi team charged him of rigging bids, arm-twisting and bringing disrepute to the board. In April 2010, during the course of the IPL, Modi was suspended. A suspension notice along with a 34-page letter that stated 22 charges were served to Modi.
THE FLIGHT TO FREEDOM
In March 2010, while Modi was in London, the Congress-led UPA government had revoked his passport. He had challenged the government’s decision in the Delhi High Court. BJP leader and current External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s daughter, Bansuri Swaraj, was one of the nine counsels who represented him in court.
THE FLIGHT TO FREEDOM
In March 2010, while Modi was in London, the Congress-led UPA government had revoked his passport. He had challenged the government’s decision in the Delhi High Court. BJP leader and current External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s daughter, Bansuri Swaraj, was one of the nine counsels who represented him in court.
In May 2014, the BJP came to power at the Centre and in August 2014, the high court restored Lalit Modi’s passport.
It was said that the British Member of Parliament, Keith Vaz, had lobbied the UK immigration department on behalf of Lalit Modi in June 2015. Vaz had apparently mentioned an endorsement from Sushma Swaraj in his correspondence with immigration officers.
In 2008, Modi’s wife was diagnosed with breast cancer and was being treated in Portugal. Later in 2014, Sushma Swaraj clarified that she had requested the British authorities to go by the law of the land after which Modi was provided travel documents to Portugal so that he could tend to his ailing wife.
The UK on Tuesday said that it had acted "appropriately" and in accordance with rules when issuing travel documents to the scam-tainted former IPL chairman Lalit Modi.
"We do not routinely comment on the detail of individual cases. This case was determined in accordance with the appropriate rules," a UK Home Office spokesperson said. The department also confirmed to PTI that the UK's Permanent Secretary is "satisfied" that Sarah Rapson, the Director-General of UK visas and immigration, acted "appropriately and professionally in handling this case".
Rapson was the senior official who received correspondence from Indian-origin MP Keith Vaz in relation to expediting paperwork for London-based Modi to travel to Portugal in June last year.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) founder is at the heart of a controversy which has engulfed external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj over accusations that she put diplomatic pressure on UK authorities to secure travel papers for Modi to visit Portugal, purportedly for his wife's cancer treatment.
Modi had come to London in 2010 amid claims that the IPL cricket tournament was embroiled in alleged match-fixing and illegal betting. His Indian passport was later revoked, leaving him grounded in the UK. A series of 'Sunday Times' reports have alleged impropriety on the part of Vaz, who also made a reference to Swaraj in one of his UK Home Office emails.
Kathryn Hudson, Britain's Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, yesterday confirmed that she will not be investigating Vaz over the issue."The Commissioner received a complaint (against Keith Vaz) last week, but has decided not to investigate into it," a spokesperson for the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards had said.
However, the row continues to brew in India as the Opposition demands Swaraj's resignation. After the reports surfaced, 63-year-old Swaraj said in a series of tweets that she had taken a "humanitarian view" and conveyed to the British High Commissioner that they should examine Modi's request as per their rules and "if the British government chooses to give travel documents to Lalit Modi that will not spoil our bilateral relations".
Modi has always denied any wrongdoing and says he left India for Britain because of death threats. Shortly after he received his UK travel documents in 2014 after a lengthy legal battle with the UK Home Office, he had described Vaz as a "superstar".
MUMBAI MOVESince Lalit and Minal’s wedding had caused such a stir in social circles in Delhi, the new bride soon discovered that she didn’t have much company because not too many of her childhood friends were very forthcoming.
The couple decided to move to Mumbai, where they first lived in KK Modi’s flat at Sterling Apartments on Pedder Road. However, by the time Lalit’s family grew -- son Ruchir and daughter Aliya joined step-daughter Karima Sagrani -- they had first rented, and then bought Minal’s father’s house in Juhu, which was rented out for film shootings until they moved in.
This house, where the Modis lived for more than ten years, caught fire in December last year and is currently under repairs. There have been some allegations of arson for claim insurance money, but so far they remain unsubstantiated.
FAMILY TIES
Lalit Modi’s family members have some connection with the IPL, with some owning a stake in the teams, while some own broadcast rights for matches
Lalit Modi’s family and friends, most of whom have already featured in this article, are an integral part of the IPL.
Minal’s sister Kavita is married to Suresh Chellaram, who owns a majority share in the Rajasthan Royals franchise.
Lalit’s step-daughter Karima is married to Gaurav, son of Monica and Vivek Burman of the Dabur group. The marriage caused a stir in the Burman family similar to the one in the Modi family when Lalit and Minal tied the knot. The Burmans have distanced themselves since then from Gaurav, who first lived in London but now stays in a disputed four-bedroom flat on Sir Pochkhanawala Road, Worli, rented for Rs 600 a month by Godfrey Philips from a Parsi trust.
Gaurav is a stakeholder in Global Cricket Venture, a firm that has the digital, mobile and internet rights of the IPL. His brother Mohit Burman is a co-owner in Kings XI Punjab, which he owns as part of the consortium consisting of his childhood friends Karan Paul and Ness Wadia, and Wadia’s ex-girlfriend Preity Zinta. The franchise, however, is up for sale now.
BCCI officials say that Modi did not disclose any of these relationships with franchise stakeholders at the time of the bidding for the first eight IPL teams.
Incidentally, one of the owners of Kolkata Knight Riders is also an old friend of Lalit Modi’s. Jay Mehta, son of Mahinder Mehta who owned Saurashtra Cements, and Lalit are childhood buddies.
SARDINIA TO BEL AIR?Those in the know reveal several details about how Modi’s lifestyle has changed over the last three years. To start with, he has been going on lavish holidays to the most exotic destinations in the world. In Sardinia, in the Italian Riviera, he allegedly rented a boat in which he invited several friends from India, including some senior politicians.
Then, the Modis have been spending the Christmas vacations in Phuket’s Aman Resort for the last few seasons with friends and family. In 2008-09, they allegedly went to Mexico, where they rented Jimmy Goldsmith’s home. Goldsmith was the billionaire father of Imran Khan’s ex-wife Jemima.
Around that time, Minal Modi was diagnosed with breast cancer and Lalit reportedly rented a mansion in Bel Air, one of Los Angeles’s poshest suburbs for stay during her treatment.
Karima and Gaurav Burman also stayed in the house until Minal bounced back from the illness.
Aside from this spending, it is his private jet, which he uses for most of his travel needs these days — including the IPL match in Dharamshala and the ICC meeting in Dubai recently — that has come under special scrutiny. Not only because it raises aspersions of unexplained assets but because the aircraft has become a bit of a joke in social circle.
“Is it a plane or a taxi?” asked one source. “Private jets are usually used judiciously, even by the biggest industrialists. They are for work, not pleasure, and they’re supposed to help by getting you to far-off places quickly. No one, except Lalit Modi these days, uses it as a replacement for all other means of transport,” the source added.
The word is that Lalit Modi’s extravagance is a retaliation for all the years when he was looked down upon by other families in their social circle. “It was in his nature to be loud, but he never got a chance,” a source said. “The only problem is that overdoing things has got him into trouble.
Lalit Modi case determined with appropriate rules: UK
- PTI, London |
- Updated: Jun 17, 2015 05:21 IST
"We do not routinely comment on the detail of individual cases. This case was determined in accordance with the appropriate rules," a UK Home Office spokesperson said. The department also confirmed to PTI that the UK's Permanent Secretary is "satisfied" that Sarah Rapson, the Director-General of UK visas and immigration, acted "appropriately and professionally in handling this case".
Rapson was the senior official who received correspondence from Indian-origin MP Keith Vaz in relation to expediting paperwork for London-based Modi to travel to Portugal in June last year.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) founder is at the heart of a controversy which has engulfed external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj over accusations that she put diplomatic pressure on UK authorities to secure travel papers for Modi to visit Portugal, purportedly for his wife's cancer treatment.
Modi had come to London in 2010 amid claims that the IPL cricket tournament was embroiled in alleged match-fixing and illegal betting. His Indian passport was later revoked, leaving him grounded in the UK. A series of 'Sunday Times' reports have alleged impropriety on the part of Vaz, who also made a reference to Swaraj in one of his UK Home Office emails.
Kathryn Hudson, Britain's Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, yesterday confirmed that she will not be investigating Vaz over the issue."The Commissioner received a complaint (against Keith Vaz) last week, but has decided not to investigate into it," a spokesperson for the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards had said.
However, the row continues to brew in India as the Opposition demands Swaraj's resignation. After the reports surfaced, 63-year-old Swaraj said in a series of tweets that she had taken a "humanitarian view" and conveyed to the British High Commissioner that they should examine Modi's request as per their rules and "if the British government chooses to give travel documents to Lalit Modi that will not spoil our bilateral relations".
Modi has always denied any wrongdoing and says he left India for Britain because of death threats. Shortly after he received his UK travel documents in 2014 after a lengthy legal battle with the UK Home Office, he had described Vaz as a "superstar".
Lalit Modi names three UPA ministers who 'helped' him, blames Murdoch for leak
- HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times, New Delhi |
- Updated: Jun 17, 2015 08:07 IST
Lalit Modi, the controversial former chief of IPL, is under fire over getting travel papers with the help of India's foreign minister, Sushma Swaraj.
Daring the Enforcement Directorate to prove any charge against him, former IPL boss Lalit Modi named three senior UPA leaders for having helped him in recent years even as he blamed media baron Rupert Murdoch for being behind the Sunday Times leak linking him to external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj.Living outside India for several years now, Modi faces 16 Enforcement Directorate cases and has of late become a headache for the BJP-led government after the Murdoch-owned Sunday Times of London reported Swaraj helped him obtain British travel documents to fly to Portugal.Modi told India Today channel that former Union ministers Sharad Pawar, Praful Patel (both from the Nationalist Congress Party) and Rajeev Shukla (Congress) had helped him get travel papers. All three were ministers in the previous Manmohan Singh government, and Shukla and Pawar denied the charges to India Today.Shukla said he had never helped Modi. “I have never helped him and neither have I sought for his help,” Shukla said. Pawar said he and Praful had advised Modi to return to the country to face trial.HT attempted to independently contact the three leaders but they could not be reached.Modi said the Sunday Times reported about Swaraj helping his bid to obtain travel documents to travel to Portugal to be with his ailing wife because of his involvement in the Champions Twenty20 League.Murdoch could not get out of the broadcasting rights of the loss-making tournament because of a no-exit clause in the contract, he said. “He knew I was going to tell about the no-exit clause,” he added.“I have done nothing wrong. I have paid my dues. I have been over-criticised. I have been taken to task by government in the past it made my life miserable for no reason,” Modi told the TV channel in Montenegro.Modi blamed the “interference” by the previous UPA government for the delay in his getting a UK residency.The fallen IPL czar acknowledged his proximity to the Swaraj family, saying the minister’s husband Swaraj Kaushal and daughter Bansuri Swaraj have been his advocates for 20 and four years respectively. “We are close in many ways,” Modi said.Modi admitted that Swaraj met him in London along with many other people but denied funding her travel to UK. He denied there was any conflict of interest in Swaraj helping him, and said, “Conflict of interest arises when government of India goes to a land breaking all legal norms.”As the BJP found itself mired in a fresh controversy after it emerged that its leader Vasundhara Raje appeared to have been a secret witness to the 2011 UK immigration application of Modi, the former IPL boss said the Rajasthan chief minister had in 2012 accompanied his wife to Portugal.
The controversial cricket administrator also disputed claims that he was evading court and investigating agencies in India. He said he may have not appeared personally before the court of any other agency, but has done so through his advocates and written affidavits.
Accusing former finance minister P Chidambaram of pursuing political vendetta against him, Modi said the senior Congress leader could not bring him back legally so “he tried to arm-twist me through a secret correspondence with the UK authorities in which he said India’s relationship with that country would be soured if he was given any relief.”
Claiming that UK authorities have paid damages to him, Modi said Chidambaram was upset with him because he took on then union minister Shashi Tharoor. “Mr Tharoor lost his job as he lied to people that he has nothing to do with Kochi team,” he said.
Modi said he has won at multiple stages in British courts and that the same has been examined in India as well. He added he could have easily given up his Indian citizenship and acquired the passport of any other country. “But I had to prove a point legally,” he said.
Wed, Jun 17, 2015
Lalit Modi: The untold story
“We were all stunned by the way he spoke to his mother. He was always rude and arrogant -- quite different from the others in the Modi family,” a guest who had attended the wedding said on condition of anonymity.
The short temper has remained one of his defining traits over the years and may explain why the man who was labelled India’s most charismatic sports entrepreneur till last month finds himself the midst of a multi-agency probe, his brand equity tarnished, and that old moniker of black sheep returning to haunt him.
With talk of malfeasance and profiteering becoming common currency, this newspaper can reveal that the intelligence agencies are putting together a dossier on IPL commissioner Lalit Modi, 46.
In Delhi, in the rarefied circles at Prithviraj Road and Ashok Road, and Jorbagh and Maharani Bagh, the whisper is about KK Modi’s son’s uber extravagant lifestyle comprising a private Lear jet that plies like a taxi, holidays on the Italian Riviera, new year breaks in Mexico at Jimmy Goldsmith’s home, a rented mansion in Bel Air, and finally, Modi’s proximity to Steve Schwarzman, co-founder of the alternative asset management company Blackstone that specialises in private equity, real estate and investment strategies.
What sets Modi apart from your regular rich is that it can easily be preceded by the descriptor favourite of the tabloids: filthy. Modi’s extravagance stands out for crossing the line between opulent and blatant.
Over a series of conversations with Lalit Modi’s old acquaintances, some family members and colleagues, we piece together a story that takes us back to a time when only a handful were genuinely rich, when bonds were forged on the wide roads of central Delhi and strengthened every summer in central London, and when everyone knew everything about everybody else in the top tier of Indian high-society.
The short temper has remained one of his defining traits over the years and may explain why the man who was labelled India’s most charismatic sports entrepreneur till last month finds himself the midst of a multi-agency probe, his brand equity tarnished, and that old moniker of black sheep returning to haunt him.
With talk of malfeasance and profiteering becoming common currency, this newspaper can reveal that the intelligence agencies are putting together a dossier on IPL commissioner Lalit Modi, 46.
In Delhi, in the rarefied circles at Prithviraj Road and Ashok Road, and Jorbagh and Maharani Bagh, the whisper is about KK Modi’s son’s uber extravagant lifestyle comprising a private Lear jet that plies like a taxi, holidays on the Italian Riviera, new year breaks in Mexico at Jimmy Goldsmith’s home, a rented mansion in Bel Air, and finally, Modi’s proximity to Steve Schwarzman, co-founder of the alternative asset management company Blackstone that specialises in private equity, real estate and investment strategies.
What sets Modi apart from your regular rich is that it can easily be preceded by the descriptor favourite of the tabloids: filthy. Modi’s extravagance stands out for crossing the line between opulent and blatant.
Over a series of conversations with Lalit Modi’s old acquaintances, some family members and colleagues, we piece together a story that takes us back to a time when only a handful were genuinely rich, when bonds were forged on the wide roads of central Delhi and strengthened every summer in central London, and when everyone knew everything about everybody else in the top tier of Indian high-society.
WEDDING BELLSWhile the Modi family under the leadership of patriarch KK Modi was flourishing in India as their company Godfrey Phillips went on to be become India’s number two tobacco company, over in Nigeria, Pessu Aswani had set up a booming business for which he flew from there to London and back. His good friend Murli Chellaram was also part of the prospering Indian diaspora in Africa. Many years later, Aswani’s daughter Kavita would marry Chellaram’s son Suresh.
But it was Aswani’s other girl, Minal, who led a more interesting life. She married a high-flying professional Jack Sagrani, who lived in Nigeria, London and finally worked in Saudi Arabia for Inlaks, owned by Indoo and Lakshmi Shivdasani. While Minal was pregnant, Sagrani was caught in a scam and jailed in Saudi Arabia for several months. He was unable to visit his wife even when she delivered their daughter Karima in London.
After Sagrani and Minal parted ways, she stayed in the Gulf for a few years before finally moving to Delhi, where she was a frequent resident at her friend Bina Modi’s house at A-1, Maharani Bagh. It was a few years after Minal and Bina’s son Lalit had returned from the United States after being convicted in a drugs and assault charge. Lalit’s return had been facilitated by some of his father’s friends -- leading businessmen Jens Howalt and VL Gregory, owner of Alexander’s Department Store Robin Farkas, and billionaire Leonard Lauder.
Minal and Lalit’s courtship began at home, and the two sprang a surprise a few months later by expressing the desire to marry. Their declaration of love led to one of the biggest commotions the Modis have ever witnessed. While Bina Modi felt betrayed by her friend for allegedly luring her son, who was ten years her junior, into a profitable marriage, KK Modi told Lalit that he would not give his consent for the marriage.
After days of negotiation, angry outbursts and threats, sources say that Lalit finally had his way. Permission was granted for the wedding (which took place on October 17, 1991), a maintenance allowance was promised by the family, and Lalit was included in the Godfrey Phillips as a director. “Lalit said he would create a scandal if the marriage was not agreed to. The Modis were left with no choice,” said a family friend.
But it was Aswani’s other girl, Minal, who led a more interesting life. She married a high-flying professional Jack Sagrani, who lived in Nigeria, London and finally worked in Saudi Arabia for Inlaks, owned by Indoo and Lakshmi Shivdasani. While Minal was pregnant, Sagrani was caught in a scam and jailed in Saudi Arabia for several months. He was unable to visit his wife even when she delivered their daughter Karima in London.
After Sagrani and Minal parted ways, she stayed in the Gulf for a few years before finally moving to Delhi, where she was a frequent resident at her friend Bina Modi’s house at A-1, Maharani Bagh. It was a few years after Minal and Bina’s son Lalit had returned from the United States after being convicted in a drugs and assault charge. Lalit’s return had been facilitated by some of his father’s friends -- leading businessmen Jens Howalt and VL Gregory, owner of Alexander’s Department Store Robin Farkas, and billionaire Leonard Lauder.
Minal and Lalit’s courtship began at home, and the two sprang a surprise a few months later by expressing the desire to marry. Their declaration of love led to one of the biggest commotions the Modis have ever witnessed. While Bina Modi felt betrayed by her friend for allegedly luring her son, who was ten years her junior, into a profitable marriage, KK Modi told Lalit that he would not give his consent for the marriage.
After days of negotiation, angry outbursts and threats, sources say that Lalit finally had his way. Permission was granted for the wedding (which took place on October 17, 1991), a maintenance allowance was promised by the family, and Lalit was included in the Godfrey Phillips as a director. “Lalit said he would create a scandal if the marriage was not agreed to. The Modis were left with no choice,” said a family friend.
MUMBAI MOVESince Lalit and Minal’s wedding had caused such a stir in social circles in Delhi, the new bride soon discovered that she didn’t have much company because not too many of her childhood friends were very forthcoming.
The couple decided to move to Mumbai, where they first lived in KK Modi’s flat at Sterling Apartments on Pedder Road. However, by the time Lalit’s family grew -- son Ruchir and daughter Aliya joined step-daughter Karima Sagrani -- they had first rented, and then bought Minal’s father’s house in Juhu, which was rented out for film shootings until they moved in.
This house, where the Modis lived for more than ten years, caught fire in December last year and is currently under repairs. There have been some allegations of arson for claim insurance money, but so far they remain unsubstantiated.
THE TURNAROUNDWhile Lalit Modi was living in Mumbai, sources said he still received a maintenance allowance from his father’s company because his own businesses were consistently failing. Things started to turn around, however, once Lalit’s friend Vasundhara Raje took over as Chief Minister of Rajasthan.
Lalit knew Raje though her school friend Bina Kilachand, who had moved to Jaipur with her. Lalit Modi followed soon after, hoping his proximity to the CM would help him set up a profitable business. Soon after he shifted to Jaipur, Raje and Kilachand allegedly had a big falling out. Lalit stayed back as one of Vasundhara’s closest allies and his reputation as an alleged wheeler-dealer started to grow.
While in Rajasthan, he not only took over the cricket establishment with the help of a law passed by the new government, but his alleged involvement in the sale of some heritage havelis created a storm and is now being probed.
Modi’s alleged involvement in the scam was raised by Congress MLA Ramnarayan Meena. Rajasthan Tourism Minister Bina Kak had said that an inquiry would be immediately ordered. Jaipur Divisional Commissioner Kiron Soni Gupta, who headed this inquiry, submitted the report on the subject to the government recently.
Things took a dramatic turn for the Modis, however, after he entered the BCCI -- first as a dealer who helped the Pawar group defeat Jagmohan Dalmiya -- and then as a money-making wiz who finally came good business-wise. The BCCI’s profits soared over a billion with Modi in its midst, and his brainchild, the IPL, took cricket’s economics to a different level.
Lalit knew Raje though her school friend Bina Kilachand, who had moved to Jaipur with her. Lalit Modi followed soon after, hoping his proximity to the CM would help him set up a profitable business. Soon after he shifted to Jaipur, Raje and Kilachand allegedly had a big falling out. Lalit stayed back as one of Vasundhara’s closest allies and his reputation as an alleged wheeler-dealer started to grow.
While in Rajasthan, he not only took over the cricket establishment with the help of a law passed by the new government, but his alleged involvement in the sale of some heritage havelis created a storm and is now being probed.
Modi’s alleged involvement in the scam was raised by Congress MLA Ramnarayan Meena. Rajasthan Tourism Minister Bina Kak had said that an inquiry would be immediately ordered. Jaipur Divisional Commissioner Kiron Soni Gupta, who headed this inquiry, submitted the report on the subject to the government recently.
Things took a dramatic turn for the Modis, however, after he entered the BCCI -- first as a dealer who helped the Pawar group defeat Jagmohan Dalmiya -- and then as a money-making wiz who finally came good business-wise. The BCCI’s profits soared over a billion with Modi in its midst, and his brainchild, the IPL, took cricket’s economics to a different level.
FAMILY TIES
Lalit Modi’s family members have some connection with the IPL, with some owning a stake in the teams, while some own broadcast rights for matches
Lalit Modi’s family and friends, most of whom have already featured in this article, are an integral part of the IPL.
Minal’s sister Kavita is married to Suresh Chellaram, who owns a majority share in the Rajasthan Royals franchise.
Lalit’s step-daughter Karima is married to Gaurav, son of Monica and Vivek Burman of the Dabur group. The marriage caused a stir in the Burman family similar to the one in the Modi family when Lalit and Minal tied the knot. The Burmans have distanced themselves since then from Gaurav, who first lived in London but now stays in a disputed four-bedroom flat on Sir Pochkhanawala Road, Worli, rented for Rs 600 a month by Godfrey Philips from a Parsi trust.
Gaurav is a stakeholder in Global Cricket Venture, a firm that has the digital, mobile and internet rights of the IPL. His brother Mohit Burman is a co-owner in Kings XI Punjab, which he owns as part of the consortium consisting of his childhood friends Karan Paul and Ness Wadia, and Wadia’s ex-girlfriend Preity Zinta. The franchise, however, is up for sale now.
BCCI officials say that Modi did not disclose any of these relationships with franchise stakeholders at the time of the bidding for the first eight IPL teams.
Incidentally, one of the owners of Kolkata Knight Riders is also an old friend of Lalit Modi’s. Jay Mehta, son of Mahinder Mehta who owned Saurashtra Cements, and Lalit are childhood buddies.
SARDINIA TO BEL AIR?Those in the know reveal several details about how Modi’s lifestyle has changed over the last three years. To start with, he has been going on lavish holidays to the most exotic destinations in the world. In Sardinia, in the Italian Riviera, he allegedly rented a boat in which he invited several friends from India, including some senior politicians.
Then, the Modis have been spending the Christmas vacations in Phuket’s Aman Resort for the last few seasons with friends and family. In 2008-09, they allegedly went to Mexico, where they rented Jimmy Goldsmith’s home. Goldsmith was the billionaire father of Imran Khan’s ex-wife Jemima.
Around that time, Minal Modi was diagnosed with breast cancer and Lalit reportedly rented a mansion in Bel Air, one of Los Angeles’s poshest suburbs for stay during her treatment.
Karima and Gaurav Burman also stayed in the house until Minal bounced back from the illness.
Aside from this spending, it is his private jet, which he uses for most of his travel needs these days — including the IPL match in Dharamshala and the ICC meeting in Dubai recently — that has come under special scrutiny. Not only because it raises aspersions of unexplained assets but because the aircraft has become a bit of a joke in social circle.
“Is it a plane or a taxi?” asked one source. “Private jets are usually used judiciously, even by the biggest industrialists. They are for work, not pleasure, and they’re supposed to help by getting you to far-off places quickly. No one, except Lalit Modi these days, uses it as a replacement for all other means of transport,” the source added.
The word is that Lalit Modi’s extravagance is a retaliation for all the years when he was looked down upon by other families in their social circle. “It was in his nature to be loud, but he never got a chance,” a source said. “The only problem is that overdoing things has got him into trouble.
