File photo of former IPL chief Lalit Modi
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) on black money today sought an update from multiple probe agencies on the role of former Indian Premier League Chairman Lalit Modi in alleged financial irregularities in the T-20 cricket tournament.
Besides Mr Modi, the SIT also reviewed cases of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officials and other individuals involved in the operation of the various editions of the IPL.
Sources said the two-hour long meeting was chaired by SIT Vice Chairman Justice (retd) Arijit Pasayat and it is understood that directions have been issued to agencies like the Income Tax department, Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) to update it with more information and status on each of the cases being handled by these probe bodies.
"The SIT has a wide mandate and hence as part of its overall review of black money cases and those related to illegal assets held abroad, the panel also reviewed cases related to the IPL and people involved in it," the sources said.
Today's meeting was attended by officials of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), ED, FIU, Department of Revenue under the Finance Ministry and the CBI.
Sources indicated that while the ED informed the SIT about the status of its 16 Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) cases and a money laundering FIR against the Indian Premier League (IPL)-BCCI, their officials and Mr Modi, the I-T department is understood to have shared some snoop data on the transactions and tax history of the former cricket czar.
"Some more details in these cases have been sought after which a future course of action will be charted vis-a-vis taking forward the IPL related cases," they said.
The high-powered panel, sources said, also reviewed some other cases of black money being probed by these agencies during the meeting.
Lalit Modi has been in the news after reports of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje "helping" him in procuring travel documents in the UK, a country which he has made his home to avoid legal processes in India, erupted recently.
Mr Modi, 49, travelled to London in 2010 after the IPL got embroiled in allegations of match-fixing and illegal betting, claiming threat to his life.
The cases being probed by the ED against Mr Modi and other officials in IPL-BCCI are related to the business deals undertaken in various editions of the glamorous T-20 matches which were held in the country and specifically during the second edition of the tournament which was held in South Africa in 2009.
Over the years, Mr Modi and his team of lawyers have denied any wrongdoing in these instances.
A domestic 'blue notice' issued by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in 2010 against Mr Modi, on the request of the ED, is still valid which authorises port security officials to detain him and inform the anti-money laundering probe agency if he is spotted at any entry or exit border points of the country.