File photo of former IPL chairman Lalit Modi.
Former Indian Premier League chief Lalit Modi has been asked to appear before Enforcement Directorate within three weeks for questioning in connection with the money laundering case registered against him.
In a case filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act or PMLA, the authorities can issue a red corner notice - or an international arrest warrant - against the accused. Sources told NDTV that the ED is considering issing such a notice against Mr Modi. A process is underway to issue LRs against Modi and it is likely to be completed within two weeks.
Mr Modi, however, has denied that he received any summons. He tweeted:
The Enforcement Directorate had filed a case under PMLA, naming Mr Modi, in 2012 -- two years after the Board for the Control of Cricket in India, or BCCI, lodged a complaint.
The case relates to a 2008 deal between World Sports Group (WSG) and Multi Screen Media (MSM) for television rights of IPL worth Rs 425 crore.
There were allegations that MSM paid the money illegally to "unauthorized beneficiaries" and not the cricketing bodies as per the terms of the contract. The Enforcement Directorate started probing the case in 2009 under the Foreign Exchange management Act.
But a year later, after the BCCI's complaint, a case on money laundering was filed.
The tainted cricket tycoon, who is wanted in multiple corruption cases in India and is currently residing in UK, had been part of a huge controversy with revelations that External Affairs minister had helped him get travel documents to visit Portugal.
Later, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje was dragged into the controversy with Mr Modi claiming that she had backed his immigration appeal to UK.