Former IPL Chief Lalit Modi Announces British Citizenship

Former Indian Premier League chief Lalit Modi announced that he has become a British citizen. He shared the news on King Charles III's birthday, calling it a special and personal milestone. Modi made the announcement during an address at the Oxford Union on November 14, 2026, noting that his citizenship ceremony took place on September 15, 2026, with family and friends. Modi fled India in 2010 and has lived in the United Kingdom for 16 years. He is wanted in India for financial irregularities and money-laundering cases. In 2015, a special court in Mumbai issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against him following a case registered by the Enforcement Directorate. Indian authorities have been pursuing his extradition under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and the India-UK Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty.

Background

Lalit Modi launched the Indian Premier League in 2008 and successfully moved the 2009 tournament to South Africa due to general elections in India. The Board of Control for Cricket in India suspended him after the 2010 final over allegations of misconduct, financial irregularities, and bid rigging for the Pune and Kochi franchises, leading to a life ban in 2013. Modi has consistently maintained his innocence and stated in a 2026 interview that no criminal prosecution has resulted in a concrete conviction against him.