Lalit Modi's 'Heavenly Country' Post For Vanuatu After Cancellation Of Passport: 'Must Put On Bucket List'

A day after Vanuatu revoked his passport, former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi described the island nation as "truly heavenly." Vanuatu's Prime Minister, Jotham Napat, ordered the cancellation of Modi's passport, citing concerns that the fugitive was using it to evade extradition to India.

"Vanuatu [is] a beautiful country. You must put [it] on your bucket list. Away from all the pollution and noise. Truly heavenly country," Modi wrote.

The ex-IPL chairman, who left India in 2010 while facing allegations of financial fraud, had been residing in London and had obtained Vanuatu citizenship through its "Citizenship by Investment" programme.

In an official statement, Prime Minister Napat instructed the Citizenship Commission to revoke Modi's passport, stating that acquiring Vanuatu citizenship was a privilege, not a right. The statement also clarified that Modi's passport had been issued following standard background checks, including Interpol screenings, which found no criminal convictions at the time.

However, PM Napat acknowledged that Interpol had twice refused requests from Indian authorities to issue a notice against Modi due to a lack of substantial judicial evidence. The prime minister's statement noted that any such alert would have led to the automatic rejection of Modi's citizenship application.

India is believed to have requested Vanuatu to cancel Modi's passport. Although India does not have a diplomatic mission in Vanuatu, its high commission in New Zealand oversees relations with the island nation.

Modi, the founding chairman of the IPL, is wanted in India on charges of financial misconduct. He stands accused of embezzling significant sums during his tenure as IPL commissioner, with allegations including bid-rigging, money laundering, and breaches of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

Despite numerous attempts to bring him back to India, Modi has remained in London since 2010.