In a recent podcast with Raj Shamani, Lalit Modi, the founder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and former Vice President of the BCCI, addressed a series of controversies tied to his departure from India and the league’s early years. Modi recounted the circumstances that led him to leave India in 2010, citing threats from underworld figure Dawood Ibrahim and multiple assassination attempts orchestrated by the gangster. Additionally, he shared insights into the formation and history of the IPL, but his most explosive claims centered on political interference and alleged corruption involving Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.
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Modi accused Tharoor and senior Congress leaders of coercion and manipulation during the bidding process for IPL franchises. He alleged that he was “forced” to approve a 25% stake in the Kochi IPL team for Sunanda Pushkar, Tharoor’s late wife, without her contributing any funds to the $50 million consortium. According to Modi, this stake, valued in the millions, came with a revenue-sharing agreement granting her 15% of all team revenues. He claimed that Tharoor threatened him with action by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and income tax authorities if he questioned Pushkar’s role or refused to sign the agreement.
Modi also criticized the Congress-led UPA government, accusing its leadership, including the Gandhi family (referred to as “10 Janpath”), of fostering corruption during its tenure. He argued that political interference and mismanagement under the Congress regime led to Kerala losing its IPL team and tainted the league’s early operations.
Detailing the events, Modi said he discovered that Sunanda Pushkar, described as a “marketing genius,” was granted a significant financial stake in the Kochi Tuskers franchise despite no monetary contribution. He claimed Tharoor called him directly and warned against raising questions about Pushkar, issuing threats of legal and financial retaliation if Modi resisted. Then-BCCI president Shashank Manohar allegedly compounded the pressure by insisting Modi sign the agreement, despite his objections, and this incident was reportedly documented in the meeting minutes.
These allegations revive scrutiny around the Kochi IPL team, which was plagued by controversies and disputes before being dissolved. Modi’s account sheds light on the alleged political pressures and questionable deals that marked the league’s formative years.
