New Delhi, July 11: Indian security agencies have gone into a tizzy following reports today that former cricket czar Lalit Modi was seeking citizenship in a Caribbean country to evade extradition to India.
"Citizenship is up for sale in some Caribbean countries and it will be impossible to extradite him if Modi gets one," an Enforcement Directorate official told The Telegraph.
The ED is probing a money-laundering case against Lalit, who is now based in the UK. In May the agency had approached the foreign ministry for initiating extradition proceedings against Lalit but the ministry is yet to send a formal request.
A CBI official said the criminal case registered against Lalit, accused of misappropriating funds during his tenure as IPL chief, would remain even if he gets citizenship in a Caribbean county. "But he will run away from the long arm of the law. We don't have extradition treaties with these small countries/islands and Modi will remain a fugitive forever," he said.
In North Block, speculation was rife that Lalit had applied for a citizenship in Saint Lucia, a tiny tax haven in the Caribbean. Union home ministry sources said Caribbean countries like Saint Lucia, Grenada and Dominica run a "citizenship-by-investment scheme".
"In these countries citizenship is not granted on merits but on monetary considerations. Some of these countries offer citizenship for $250,000 (Rs 1.7 crore) a paltry amount for Modi," the ED official said.
Saint Lucia's financial system has never been blacklisted and has escaped international scrutiny and foreign governmental pressure to disclose details of its offshore financial operations.
Although it has signed 46 tax-sharing agreements with several countries, including Portugal, Canada and Germany, the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development - which is spearheading the global campaign to end banking secrecy laws that help the rich and criminals conceal their incomes - has characterised Saint Lucia as only partially compliant.
Obtaining residence in Saint Lucia isn't difficult either. Permanent residence permit can be acquired after five years of residence, which is usually attained by purchasing real estate, or by having a work permit, which is difficult to get.
Former CBI director Joginder Singh said it was "shocking" that the foreign ministry was "yet to send a formal request" to the UK for extraditing the former cricket boss, who has an Interpol red corner notice against him. "What are they waiting for?" he asked.
An ED official said: "The foreign ministry is yet to send the extradition request to the UK. They told us their legal experts are still examining it."
Sources in the ministry said there were some legal issues and the request would be sent soon.
