ARTICLE AD BOX
New Delhi: Former IPL chairman & founder Lalit Modi has made some startling revelations regarding his past, how he looked after the IPL and even his encounters with underworld elements. In a recent interview, Modi clearly mentioned the threats he received from fugitive Dawood Ibrahim and the reason he had to leave cricket administration.
One of the most eye-openers that Lalit Modi was making was his assertion of Dawood Ibrahim’s aspiration to take control of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He was approached through intermediaries and he believed that he was being driven hard to allow the underworld influence to be present in the tournament, Modi added. He said he declined to do so after being strongly threatened.
Meanwhile, against him, Modi has mentioned a particular incident that took place at the time of the Dubai eyes in 2012 when he was allegedly contacted using a telephonic device in London by Dawood Ibrahim in his penthouse. The discussion had left him shaken and he had concerns for his own safety, he said. The ex-IPL CEO alleged that the threats against him have escalated since he insisted on declining demands for cricket and betting platforms.
One other aspect of his life that came as a surprise is that of family. Modi has claimed that his son was abducted in London as a piece of intimidation. This deeply affected him and made him realize just how close to danger belt he and his family were, he said.
The entrepreneur additionally asserted that he’s survived lots of attacks on his life. He reported that he received threats and attacks from other countries, including Sweden, South Africa, and parts of Europe. The security agencies in several countries helped to prevent such attacks, he said.
Modi’s peppering started after asserting his opposition to betting and match-fixing in the sport. He said he had a “zero tolerance” policy and he refused requests by big bidders that were “supposed to be paid to affect the game.” He got himself into hot water with big-time bookies and elements of the underworld thanks to his actions, he said.
Modi said he was periodically threatened by Dawood Ibrahim and the group associated with him, and that has been one of the primary factors that compelled him to exit from the cricket administration. He says that his departure from cricket was his decision for the safety of himself and his family.
Modi also took on comments about him being called a ‘fugitive’. He insists he doesn’t fear justice and noted he hasn’t been found guilty of any crime. He said that his withdrawal from India is not based on law but on security considerations.
It is believed Lalit Modi was the one who introduced the IPL in 2008 which changed the face of cricket sports and is one of the richest sports league in the world. But, his post-Career controversy was later brought back in his shoes after he was suspended and finally expelled from the BCCI for alleged financial irregularities, which he has always denied.
Some of the claims made by Modi have garnered a lot of discussion since he made them, but a few are still unchallengeable. But again, his remarks have caught the eye of football enthusiasts to what happened to Indian football during the early years of the IPL till he controversially quit the game.
English (US) ·