Lalit Modi extradition: External affairs ministry vets ED's request

Following an Enforcement Directorate (ED) request for extradition of former IPL chairman Lalit Modi, who is in the UK, the external affairs ministry's legal arm has vetted the request and is waiting for the ED's response, a top official said on Thursday.

"The Directorate of Enforcement sent a formal extradition request with respect of Lalit Modi to the Ministry of External Affairs," ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said at his weekly media briefing here.

"The extradition request was examined by the CPV (Consular Passport, Visa) division in consultation with the legal entreaties division of the ministry," he said.

"Keeping in mind the sensitivity of the case, the Directorate of Enforcement has been requested to intimate its concurrence on the options and suggestions made by the Ministry of External Affairs and to advise us how to proceed further in the matter."

Swarup said the ministry was now awaiting for the ED's comments on the matter.

He said that once the ED concurred with the suggestions made by the ministry's legal experts, the extradition request will be forwarded to Britain.

A special court in Mumbai two months back issued an order allowing the ED to begin extradition proceedings against Modi in connection with its money laundering probe against him and others.

In August last year, the agency moved the Interpol to get a red corner notice issued against Modi but the international police organisation has not obliged yet.

Interpol authorities have sought additional information from ED investigators on their money laundering case against Modi as part of the process to issue such a world-wide warrant against him.

The ED is probing Modi, the Indian Premier League and its executives for alleged violation of anti-money laundering laws after registering a first information report in 2012.

--IANS

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