LONDON: Lalit Modi, who is wanted for criminal offences in India, has challenged Vanuatu govt’s decision to revoke the passport it had granted him and will argue his case in a court in the south-western Pacific island in person.
UK sources close to Modi told TOI on Tuesday that he has filed a case in the Vanuatu court appealing the decision of PM Jotham Napat to cancel his citizenship. Modi, an Indian national, is currently in Vanuatu fighting the case, from where he has been tweeting photos of its beaches and praising it as a “heavenly country”.
TOI has learnt that there is no extradition request for Modi as of now. “He went to the high commission of India in London to surrender his Indian passport in order to take up Vanuatu citizenship but they refused to give him a surrender certificate. They said it was because of due diligence and checks had to be made,” a source said.
Lalit shares Vanuatu broadcaster statement saying citizenship call only after court order
The Vanuatu PM’s office issued a statement on Monday saying Napat had instructed Citizenship Commission to “begin proceedings” to cancel Lalit Modi’s Vanuatu passport. The commission is a constitutional body responsible for reviewing, approving, deferring or rejecting citizenship applications. It also has the power to revoke citizenship if granted in violation of Citizenship Act, or other relevant laws.
Lalit shared a statement on his X handle, written by Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation on Facebook in Bislama. The English translation read, “The chairman of Vanuatu Citizenship Commission said his office will wait for outcome of court before making a decision on Lalit Modi’s citizenship as a NiVanuatu. Chairman of citizenship commission Charles Maniel made this statement following an order issued by PM Jotham Napat to Citizenship Commission to start the process of cancelling Lalit’s Vanuatu passport due to some allegations that he is facing in court. Chairman Maniel said if the court finds him guilty, the commission will start the process of cancelling his passport and citizenship as a Ni-Vanuatu. Lalit, who is originally from India, bought his Ni-Vanuatu citizenship through citizenship programme of Vanuatu govt.”