IPL money laundering case: Lalit Modi's lawyer resfuses to receive ED's summons

Mumbai: Lalit Modi's lawyer has returned the summons issued to the former IPL boss by the Enforcement Directorate, saying he was not authorised to receive them, the Central agency said on Tuesday. Advocate Mehmood M Abdi, who represents Modi, in a statement said, "I have not recieved any such summons".

"ED has Modi's address in the UK. They are required to serve him as per the procedure prescribed in law," Abdi said. The Central agency had last week issued summons to Modi in a money-laundering case registered against him here, seeking his presence at its office within three weeks. It was returned by his lawyer who said he was not authorised by Lalit Modi to receive it, an ED officer said on Tuesday.

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The case relates to a 2008 deal between World Sports Group (WSG) and Multi Screen Media (MSM) for television rights of Indian Premier League (IPL) worth Rs 425 crore.

In 2008, BCCI awarded 10-year media rights to WSG for US $918 million. WSG entered into a deal with MSM to make Sony the official broadcaster. The contract was replaced a year later with a nine-year deal where MSM paid US $1.63 billion.

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The ED started a probe in 2009 under Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) to investigate allegations that payment of Rs 425 crore facilitation fee by MSM Singapore to WSG Mauritius was made in an illegal way.