The Chennai police’s r ecent move to transfer the case against former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi and others to the Crime Branch CID followed a strongly worded letter from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to the Tamil Nadu police, it is learnt.
In a communication dated March 30, 2017, a copy of which was made available to The Hindu , ED Director Karnal Singh wrote to Director General of Police T.K. Rajendran that despite repeated requests the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Chennai police had not intimated the progress made in the investigation of the case against Mr. Lalit Modi.
Meanwhile, as efforts were on to extradite him from the United Kingdom, Mr. Modi had submitted certain documents before the Interpol, claiming them to be the internal report of the Tamil Nadu police. The report said that the Chennai police had concluded that the case was more civil than criminal in nature and cause of action arose out of contracts entered into by office-bearers of the Board of Control for Cricket in India with third parties.
It also said that the offences allegedly committed by the accused persons were purely financial in nature and also involved huge sums of money in foreign exchange. Hence, legal opinion may be sought and the complaint be referred to the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, for further action.
Mr. Karnal Singh sought to know whether the report was genuine and if so how an enquiry “may be conducted to find how & why it was made available to the accused, Lalit Modi.”
Embarrassment
He said that “the inability of the Tamil Nadu police in logically concluding the investigation of the case is causing embarrassment to the Indian law enforcement agencies in the international forum…”
Mr. Karnal Singh made a request that an investigation of the case may be concluded at the earliest and the outcome be shared (with the ED) for taking further action.
Replying to this letter, Mr. Rajendran wrote on April 3, 2017, that the case against Mr. Modi would be transferred from the CCB, Chennai Police, to the Crime Branch (CB) CID. Quoting the Commissioner of Police, Chennai, he said there was no such internal report as claimed by Mr. Modi. The CBCID, being the nodal agency for Interpol cases, had taken up investigation and it would intimate the ED on the course of action.
The Hindu reported on May 12, 2017, that the Tamil Nadu police had recommended to the State government that the case against Mr. Modi be transferred to the Mumbai police since all the alleged ofences took place there.
In 2010, the Chennai polcie registered a case against Mr. Modi and others on charges of misappropriating funds to the tune of Rs. 468 crore.
