Retired Mumbai Police Commissioner, R D Tyagi speaks to NDTV
After Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's controversial affidavit, new details emerged today revealing that retired Mumbai Police Commissioner R D Tyagi was one of those who backed former IPL chief Lalit Modi for his immigration plea in the United Kingdom.
Speaking to NDTV, Mr Tyagi refused to elaborate how exactly he helped the beleaguered cricket czar, but his views were in line with what three Supreme Court judges had also opined in favour of Mr Modi.
"Lalit was only accused of FEMA violations. Legally there is no provision for arrest or custodial interrogation. Forget being an absconder, Mr Modi is not even an accused; he is only a suspect and still the Enforcement Directorate got after him without investigating for 5 long years," Mr Tyagi said, adding he could have been interrogated even in London if the ED wanted.
He also concurred with Mr Modi's claims that the former IPL commissioner had been hounded out of India and was a victim of politics. "N Srinivasan and his clout in the UPA government were responsible for pushing Mr Lalit Modi out of the country," explained Mr Tyagi who has retired from active service over a decade ago.
Interestingly, Mr Tyagi now joins senior advocate Swaraj Kaushal in the long list of people who seemed to have given legal advice pro bono - without charging any money.
Mr Tyagi was the city's joint police commissioner during the Mumbai riots in 1993 and was arrested for allegedly killing 9 people after his team indiscriminately opened fire. However, in 2003, Mr Tyagi and 8 others were discharged from the case by a Mumbai sessions court.