Former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi has leveled serious allegations against Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor, and Ahmed Patel. According to Lalit Modi, political pressure was directed at him when he questioned Sunanda Pushkar’s involvement in the Kochi IPL franchise deal. The former chairman claimed he tried to stop the Kochi consortium’s entry into the IPL due to an unfair equity arrangement involving Pushkar.
Lalit Modi Alleges Shashi Tharoor’s Threat
Lalit Modi alleged that Congress MP Shashi Tharoor called him while the Kochi franchise agreement was being finalized. He claimed that Tharoor urged him not to raise questions about his late wife, Sunanda Pushkar, regarding the irregular equity structure within the consortium. The former IPL chief further alleged that Tharoor warned him of a government raid if he persisted. Modi, however, rejected the warning and refused to sign the document. “I got a call from Shashi Tharoor. He said, ‘Lalit, don’t ask about Sunanda Pushkar.’ He was a good friend of mine. He said, ‘If you do, I will have you raided in the morning.’ I said, ‘Who the hell do you think you are? You may be the Foreign Minister of India, but don’t you dare ever tell me this.’ I slammed the phone down, and I said I would not sign it,” Lalit stated.
“I Had No Idea Who Sunanda Pushkar Was,” Says Modi
During the interview, Modi claimed that he was unaware of who Sunanda Pushkar was and had to ask consortium members about her identity. He noted that someone identified her as an automobile dealer’s child.“All the shareholders were there except for the lady, Sunanda Pushkar. I’m looking at this agreement, and by the way, I had no idea who she was. I asked these consortium members, ‘You’re giving away 25% shares to a lady called Sunanda Pushkar. Who is she?’ I said I am not going to sign this agreement until I know who Sunanda Pushkar is.”
“How can somebody pay $350 million for a team that is the Kochi consortium where 75% of the shareholders are paying 100% of the cost? For every dollar that comes in revenue, she would be getting 15% of the money. I knew this was going to collapse. Two years down the line, it did,” he questioned.
The Short-Lived Kochi Franchise
The Kochi franchise proved to be one of the shortest-lived teams in IPL history. Jointly owned by Kochi Tuskers Kerala Cricket Private Limited (KCPL) and Rendezvous Sports World (RSW), the team participated in the single IPL season 2011. Later that year, the BCCI terminated the franchise due to disputes involving a breach of contractual obligations.
Resignation of Shashi Tharoor
Following the termination of the Kochi franchise reached far beyond cricket, it triggered a major political storm across the country. In April 2010, the controversy ultimately led to Shashi Tharoor’s resignation from his post as Minister of State for External Affairs. His resignation followed allegations regarding the franchise’s ownership structure and his late wife’s stake in the franchise.
