The Supreme Court on Monday rejected former cricket administrator Lalit Modi’s plea, in which he asked the BCCI to pay a ₹10.65 crore penalty that was imposed on him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over alleged FEMA violations, as reported by PTI.
In 2018, the Enforcement Directorate slapped a penalty of Rs 121.56 crore on multiple parties, including the BCCI, its then-chairperson N Srinivasan, and others. Of this total, Modi was specifically directed to pay Rs 10.65 crore, according to Bar and Bench.
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Bombay HC Called Modi’s Plea ‘Baseless’, Ordered ₹1 Lakh Payment to Tata Hospital
The case dates back to the Bombay High Court’s ruling on December 19, 2023, where Modi’s petition was called “Baseless and misconceived.” The court had also directed him to pay ₹1 lakh to Tata Memorial Hospital within four weeks.
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A bench of Justices PS Narasimha and R Mahadevan upheld the Bombay High Court’s earlier verdict, which had dismissed Modi’s petition and imposed a fine. However, the apex court clarified that Modi is free to pursue appropriate civil remedies if he wishes.
The High Court made it clear that the Baseless and misconceived penalty was imposed on Lalit Modi in his capacity, not for any public function or statutory duty. So, there was no legal ground to ask the BCCI to cover the penalty on his behalf
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Modi, however, argued that during his time as BCCI vice-president and IPL governing council chairman, the board was obligated to indemnify him as per its internal rules. He claimed the penalty was tied to actions he took in his official role.
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