Lalit Modi seeks clarification on ED's Blue Notice

Mumbai:

Former IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi has requested the Enforcement Directorate to clarify whether a Blue Corner Notice has been issued against him by the agency, saying he has not received any official communication from them in this regard.

"In the past two days, there has been a lot of speculation and contradictory reports in the media that a Blue Corner Notice or a request for a Blue Corner Notice has been issued by and/or at the instance of the Enforcement Directorate," Modi said in a letter to the agency.

"Whilst initial media reports suggested that this was indeed the case, subsequent media reports contradicted what had been reported earlier," he said in the letter addressed to the ED officials in Mumbai and Delhi.

A copy of the letter has been sent to Finance Ministry.

"Neither me, nor my solicitors (who have been interacting with the Enforcement Directorate) nor my Constituted Attorney Mehmood Abdi have been served with any official communication or proceeding in this behalf. As there is a great deal of uncertainty, may I request your good selves to kindly clarify what the correct factual position is, so as to enable me to consider my position and seek legal advice."

"If indeed, a Blue Corner Notice or a request for a Blue Corner Notice has been issued, I would, in the circumstances regard this as highly improper and a serious interference with my personal liberty."

Modi said such a measure against him was not justified as he had been co-operating fully with the authorities and had also informed them about the reason for his inability to appear before them in India.

Modi is facing 22 charges ranging from financial irregularities to rigging bids, proxy holdings and kickbacks in broadcast deals of IPL.

"I have always extended the fullest cooperation to the Enforcement Directorate. Each of the communications sent to me by the ED have been duly responded to. All the documents sought for, by them, in my possession, have been supplied," Modi said.

"The Enforcement Directorate has been duly informed that the reason why I am not in a position to appear before their officials in India is because of the elevated threat perception of a serious threat to my life and safety."

The ED was even provided with details of the said elevated threat perception, with a request that the existence of such elevated threat perception, be confirmed with the Mumbai Police," he said.

Modi said he was willing to answer all questions and requisitions that the Enforcement Directorate sought from him either orally or in writing.

"I reiterate my willingness to answer questions by a video link or even by attending the Indian embassy at London.

To completely obviate any suggestion of my avoiding questioning, I am even willing to have the concerned officers of the Enforcement Directorate, flown in to London, at my cost, and appear before them and any questions that they may wish to put to me."

"The officers can set up their facilities to interrogate me at the premises of the High Commission or other place of their convenience and can question me for as long as they desire," Modi said.

"This will establish that I am willing to fully cooperate with the authorities concerned. All that I desire is that in this process my safety and my security not be jeopardised. The intelligence reports I have provided are of the highest credibility and thus my legitimate apprehensions as to my safety," he added.