How did Lalit Modi end up being a 'fugitive'?

Lalit Modi, once a prominent figure in Indian cricket administration, is the man who played a big role in the extravagant commercialisation of Indian Cricket through the Indian Premier League and the Champions League.

• He popped up last year when he introduced actor Sushmita Sen as his ‘better-looking partner’. 
• Recently, he was also spotted at the wedding bash of former Solicitor General of India, Harish Salve, alongside the Ambanis.

However, his fame was matched only by the rapid and dramatic fall of the Modi Group custodian, who to date, remains a "financial fraud fugitive". The numerous allegations and controversies that surround his career have left a lasting stain, with Lalit Modi remaining outside India's jurisdiction to this day.

Since his initial days, while studying in the United States, he has faced legal troubles and was arrested on charges of conspiracy to traffic cocaine, assault, and second-degree kidnapping.

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What were the charges?

• Just after the flashy season finale of the IPL 2010, he was handed a 34-page letter revealing nearly two dozen charges of impropriety, asking him to show cause.
• He was found to dish out confidential information about the Kochi Tuskers franchises and BCCI agreements in public. He tweeted about the ownership details of the now-defunct team.
• Lalit Modi alleged that Congress leader Shashi Tharoor had undisclosed interests in the franchise, which was followed by Tharoor's resignation from the External Affairs Ministry.

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• The controversy intensified as Lalit Modi was accused of harassing the franchise to favour other bidders.
• Other allegations included charges of financial irregularities, manipulating broadcast deals, planning a parallel IPL in England and rigging franchisee auctions.
• In September 2010, he was fired from the post of the IPL Chairman after the BCCI was dissatisfied with Lalit Modi's response to the show cause notice.
• However, allegations of financial irregularities and favouritism had surfaced against him, all through those years in office.

Passport revoked

• Next year, the Government of India suspended his passport as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) issued a Blue Corner Notice against him for his alleged role in defying the Forex laws in the IPLs.
• The ED said that while he was the IPL chief, he bought crores of Forex overseas, misusing his chair.

• Lalit Modi, however, never appeared in front of the agency, but his passport was revoked.

The Great Escape

• In 2014, the Delhi High Court reinstated his passport.
• Following this, with the help of an Indian-origin British MP Keith Vaz, he got the UK government in his favour citing the then Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj who had said that the Government of India had no issue with him leaving the country.
• He then travelled to a bunch of European countries on the pretext of his wife's health, who was battling cancer at the time.
• On the other hand, he also posted a bunch of vacation snaps from the bunch of countries he visited, on social media.
• In 2015, a Mumbai special court issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against him for his alleged money-laundering.

• He later settled in London, claiming threats to his life as he continues to face investigations by the Enforcement Directorate for alleged financial irregularities. All this while, he has given multiple interviews to outlets claiming to be innocent.

Known to be a close associate of Vasundhara Raje in the initial days, Lalit Modi had significant political influence in Rajasthan, earning him the moniker "Super Chief Minister". Nevertheless, his power diminished after Raje's tenure ended.