Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi has once again brought several past controversies back into focus, making a series of fresh claims about threats to his life, political pressure and his time in cricket administration. He also spoke about political leaders, the IPL’s early challenges and his life outside India.
‘Dawood Ibrahim syndicate tried to target me’
Modi made serious allegations claiming that he was targeted by underworld networks led by Dawood Ibrahim during the early years of the IPL. He said his crackdown on illegal betting and match-fixing made him a target.
He further claimed there were three attempts on his life and also alleged that his son was once kidnapped. According to him, repeated threats eventually forced him to step away from cricket administration. He also said he received threatening calls linked to the syndicate, which he believes were known to authorities.
Rejects ‘fugitive’ tag, cites security concerns
Modi rejected being labelled a fugitive, saying he is not hiding from Indian authorities. He argued that if the government truly wanted him back, action would have been taken earlier.
Remarks on Rahul Gandhi and political criticism
Modi also commented on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, alleging that his name is often used during election campaigns to gain political attention by linking it with cricket and public emotion.
He said such references are made repeatedly during elections to influence voters, referring to past political remarks in which his name was mentioned.
Claims of political hurdles during IPL launch
Modi alleged that the Congress-led UPA government created obstacles during the early years of the IPL. He claimed that then Home Minister P. Chidambaram opposed holding the 2009 IPL season in India due to election security concerns.
According to him, several states under Congress rule were uncooperative, leading to the tournament being shifted to South Africa.
Kochi IPL controversy revisited
Modi also revisited the controversy involving the former Kochi IPL franchise, alleging pressure from political figures during the ownership dispute. He referred to communication with then Union Minister Shashi Tharoor regarding concerns linked to the franchise structure.
He further claimed that senior political leaders intervened during the matter, including discussions involving high-level Congress figures.
Positive remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Despite criticism of several leaders, Lalit Modi spoke positively about Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the Prime Minister has shown interest in cricket infrastructure development, particularly in Ahmedabad.
He clarified that his interactions with the Prime Minister were limited to sports-related discussions and not political matters.
Biopic in development, Ranveer Singh linked
Modi also revealed that a biopic based on his life is currently in development at the scripting stage. He said actor Ranveer Singh has shown interest in portraying him in the film.
No immediate plans to return to India
When asked about returning to India, Modi said it is not currently a priority. He added that his focus has shifted over time and reiterated that he denies all wrongdoing, calling the allegations against him politically motivated.
