Lalit Modi to apply for citizenship in Caribbean tax haven St Lucia

Lalit Modi, the controversial founder of the Indian Premier League has applied for a fresh citizenship in St Lucia, an island which is considered to be a tax haven in the Caribbean Islands. According to reports in India Today, along with Modi, his wife Mrinalini and children have also applied for citizenship.

However, their approval is subject to Indian Interpol's verdict on the past criminal records of Lalit Modi. Hence, if the reports are adverse, the application might be rejected. Thus, officials in St Lucia have asked India for all previous records of the controversial personality who is currently residing in London, along with his wife's family.

St Lucia is very selective about granting citizenship, as it is considered to be tax haven with very liberal laws.

Earlier, in March 2016, Modi had also applied for citizenship in Malta, which is a small island in the Mediterranean Sea. In May 2010, the Indian Enforcement Directorate (ED) had registered a money-laundering case against the controversial IPL chief for various financial regularities in the IPL. They accused Modi of manipulating the process of assigning broadcast rights of the second season of IPL in exchange of receiving kickbacks well in excess of 125 crores. This forced him to exit the country in a puff.

A non-bailable warrant was put out against him last year, and the Narendra Modi government came under fire for offering him help. External Affairs minister, Sushma Swaraj had clarified on the floor of the Indian Parliament that help was extended purely on humanitarian grounds.

St Lucia being a tax haven will allow individuals to exploit all possibility of tax evasion and money laundering which includes countries allow individuals and corporations from all over the world to exploit the possibility of tax evasion which includes money laundering and illicit exchanges.