Vanuatu PM orders cancellation of Lalit Modi’s passport after India’s Interpol alert rejected

Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat has ordered the Citizenship Commission to cancel Indian Premier League (IPL) founder Lalit Modi’s passport, citing the rejection of Indian authorities' request for an Interpol alert due to insufficient evidence.

He said that while background checks showed no criminal convictions, he was recently informed that Interpol had rejected Indian requests for an alert on Lalit Modi due to insufficient evidence, which would have led to the rejection of his citizenship application.

He clarified that a Vanuatu passport is a privilege, not a right, and applicants must provide legitimate reasons for citizenship.

PM Napat said that in recent years, the Vanuatu government has strengthened the due diligence process for its citizenship by investment programme, resulting in more applications failing enhanced scrutiny by the Vanuatu financial intelligence unit.

The updated process includes triple-agency checks, including Interpol verification, the statement added.

Vanuatu is an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising an archipelago of 83 islands, of which 65 are inhabited.

Located to the east of Australia and north of New Zealand, Vanuatu lies midway between Australia and Fiji. Its capital and largest city is Port Vila, situated on Efate Island.

The national language of Vanuatu is Bislama, a Creole language, with English and French serving as official languages.