'My home for many years': Lalit Modi gets UK citizenship 16 years after leaving India

'I am proud to be a British citizen,' said Lalit Modi

Former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi has acquired British citizenship, announcing the development at an address to the Oxford Union, nearly 16 years after leaving India amid allegations of financial irregularities linked to his tenure as the cricket league's chief.Lalit, who said he formally became a British citizen on September 15, shared the news late Saturday, describing it as a proud and deeply personal milestone. He said he celebrated the occasion with family and friends at a citizenship ceremony in the United Kingdom, where he has lived for several years.In a post on X, the IPL founder said the UK had been his home for many years and that he had developed a deep appreciation for its people, institutions, traditions and values.

"The United Kingdom has been my home for many years. It is a country I have come to admire and appreciate deeply — its people, institutions, traditions and values. Becoming British is a privilege and a responsibility that I embrace with pride, gratitude and a genuine sense of belonging," he wrote.

He also thanked the organisation for providing an opportunity to share the news, adding that announcing it on the occasion of King Charles III's birthday made the moment particularly special.

"My life's journey has been shaped by different cultures and experiences, and I look forward to continuing to contribute positively to the country I proudly call home," he added.Modi left India in 2010 following his removal as IPL chairman by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). He has since faced allegations of financial irregularities during his tenure, including bid-rigging, money laundering and violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has investigated alleged financial irregularities and unauthorised fund transfers linked to the IPL. Indian authorities have also pursued extradition-related processes.Modi, however, has repeatedly rejected the description of himself as a fugitive, arguing that he has never been convicted of a crime.In an interview with news agency ANI earlier this year, he dismissed the label as media sensationalism and denied that he had been evading Indian authorities since leaving the country.

"I'm not running at all. I'm going all over the world. If I was running, you would be picking me up somewhere or the other. The Indian government has a long arm," he had said.He also questioned why, despite years of investigations, he had not been brought before a court. "Not a single case against me has been registered. If I have been so bad, and everybody says I've been so bad, OK, please, guys, go out and prosecute me," he told ANI.

On the possibility of returning to India to contest the allegations, Modi said he no longer felt the need to prove himself. He also alleged that political opponents had repeatedly targeted him.Despite his assertions, investigations linked to his tenure as IPL chairman remain a part of the legal and regulatory scrutiny surrounding him.