Lalit Modi, Indian businessman
Lalit Kumar Modi (born 29 November 1963) is an Indian businessman and cricket administrator, currently absconded. He was the founder & first chairman and Commissioner of the Indian Premier League (IPL), and ran the tournament for three years until 2010. He also served as the Chairman of the Champions League during 2008–10. He was the Vice President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) during 2005–10. He has also served as the President of the Rajasthan Cricket Association (2005–09 and 2014–15), and as the Vice President of the Punjab Cricket Association.
As a close associate of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vasundhara Raje, Modi once held considerable political clout in Rajasthan. During Raje's first term as the Chief Minister, he was called "Super Chief Minister" by the opposition and the media. In 2010, Modi alleged that the Indian National Congress minister Shashi Tharoor held indirect free equity in the Kochi Tuskers Kerala IPL franchise, ultimately leading to Tharoor's resignation. The Kochi franchise alleged that Modi was harassing them, because he wanted another group to win the franchise bid. Shortly after IPL 2010 ended, Modi was suspended from BCCI after being accused of misconduct, indiscipline and financial irregularities. BCCI launched an investigation against him, and banned him for life in 2013 after a committee found him guilty of these charges. Modi denied any wrongdoing, and blamed accusations on political rivalries. Shortly before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) launched an investigation against him for alleged financial irregularities, Modi moved to London.
As a scion of a leading business family, Modi is the president and managing director of Modi Enterprises and the executive director of Godfrey Phillips India.