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Modi wants clarity from passport office

Lalit Modi, the former IPL chairman, has sought clarity on several points from the regional passport office in Mumbai over the notice issued by it earlier this month, including the deadline and the basis for the notice

ESPNcricinfo staff
28-Oct-2010
Lalit Modi has said through his lawyer that he is not absconding  •  AFP

Lalit Modi has said through his lawyer that he is not absconding  •  AFP

Lalit Modi, the former IPL chairman, has sought clarity on several points from the regional passport office in Mumbai over the notice issued by it earlier this month, including the deadline and the basis for the notice. He has also said through his lawyer that, though travelling abroad, he was not absconding.
The notice was sent after the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which looks into foreign exchange violations, wrote to India's external (foreign) affairs ministry on October 5 asking it to revoke Modi's passport since he had not appeared before the ED to answer allegations of financial irregularities.
Modi's counsel Mehmood Abdi said that, before filing his reply, Modi needed to know the ED's reference to the RPO, following which the notice was issued, and the documents on which the RPO based its notice.
Modi has 15 days to reply to the notice and, though it was issued on October 15, Abdi said this period should start from the date of receipt of the notice, which was October 20. "According to us, the deadline expires on November 4. We sent the RPO a letter on October 26 seeking clarification but there has been no reply." Abdi said he had also sent a reminder to RPO today but has not received a response.
Modi has been living abroad for the past few months and said he fears for his life. "There is a threat to his life and he will not return till the situation changes," Abdi said. He denied that Modi was absconding and said he was communicating with the ED and other authorities from London.
Two days ago Abdi had said that his client was ready for interrogation by the ED in London and would bear the expenses of ED personnel travelling there to question him.
The ED is examining whether Modi violated the Foreign Exchange Management Act during his time as IPL commissioner. Earlier this month, the directorate issued a blue corner alert for Modi, which makes it mandatory for law-enforcement agencies around the world to detain him wherever they spot him and inform the ED accordingly.