Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat has ordered the Citizenship Commission to revoke the Vanuatu passport issued to former Indian Premier League (IPL) chief Lalit Modi. Mr. Napat stressed that obtaining Vanuatu citizenship is a privilege, not a right. The decision comes after media reports revealed that Lalit Modi has received the citizenship of Vanuatu, a small island nation in the South Pacific.

Last Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that Lalit Modi had applied to surrender his Indian passport at the Indian High Commission in London. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that the request will be reviewed as per existing rules and procedures. He also emphasized that India will continue legal proceedings against him as required by law.

Lalit Modi is wanted by Indian authorities for allegedly embezzling crores of rupees during his tenure as chief of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He left India in 2010 and has been living in London.