Lalit Modi claimed that his son getting kidnapped once was why he walked away from cricket.
(X/@ANI)'Dawood tried to kill me three times' One of Lalit Modi's most dramatic claims concerned Dawood Ibrahim and the betting syndicates he said were operating around cricket.
He claimed Dawood Ibrahim's syndicate targeted him multiple times and said there were three alleged attempts on his life.
Rahul Gandhi uses my name during elections The former IPL chief also took aim at leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi.
Also read: Inside Lalit Modi’s opulent London mansion that gives glimpse of former IPL chairman’s lavish lifestyleCongress leaders wanted IPL blocked, claims Modi Lalit Modi alleged that the Congress-led UPA government created hurdles for the IPL, particularly during the 2009 season.
Lalit Modi has revisited some of the biggest controversies of his career, alleging that Dawood Ibrahim's syndicate targeted him, defending his decision to remain abroad, accusing Congress leaders of trying to undermine the IPL, and offering his views on Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Lalit Modi claimed that his son getting kidnapped once was why he walked away from cricket. (X/@ANI)
'Dawood tried to kill me three times' One of Lalit Modi's most dramatic claims concerned Dawood Ibrahim and the betting syndicates he said were operating around cricket.
Modi alleged that his efforts to curb illegal betting and match-fixing networks during the IPL's formative years put him in direct conflict with powerful underworld interests. He claimed Dawood Ibrahim's syndicate targeted him multiple times and said there were three alleged attempts on his life. He further claimed that his son was once kidnapped and that threats against his family eventually convinced him to walk away from cricket administration.
He also recounted receiving threatening calls allegedly linked to Dawood's network, saying law-enforcement agencies were aware of some of those communications.
Rejects 'fugitive' label Modi strongly pushed back against being described as a fugitive, arguing that if Indian authorities genuinely wanted to bring him back, they could have done so years ago.
He said he was not hiding from the Indian government and insisted his decision to remain abroad was driven by security concerns rather than an attempt to evade authorities. Modi maintained that allegations against him were politically motivated and said he had chosen to stay away from India because of threats to his life.
Rahul Gandhi uses my name during elections The former IPL chief also took aim at leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi.
According to Modi, Rahul Gandhi repeatedly invokes his name during election campaigns and political speeches because of the emotional connection Indians have with cricket. He claimed that "every time there is an election" Rahul Gandhi attacks him to mobilise public sentiment and score political points.
The remarks come years after Rahul Gandhi's "Modi surname" comments, in which Lalit Modi's name was cited alongside other figures during a political speech.
Also read: Inside Lalit Modi’s opulent London mansion that gives glimpse of former IPL chairman’s lavish lifestyle
Congress leaders wanted IPL blocked, claims Modi Lalit Modi alleged that the Congress-led UPA government created hurdles for the IPL, particularly during the 2009 season.
He claimed that then home minister P Chidambaram opposed holding the tournament in India during the Lok Sabha election period and that Congress-ruled states were unwilling to cooperate with the event's scheduling. According to Modi, repeated attempts were made to revise the fixture list before the tournament was ultimately shifted to South Africa.
