Days after referring to himself and liquor baron Vijay Mallya as the two “biggest fugitives” in a viral video, former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi on Monday issued an apology to the Indian government.
The “fugitive” comment was widely perceived as a swipe at India. In a post on the social media platform X, Lait Modi issued the apology; however, he did not clearly specify what exactly he was apologising for.
“I apologise if I have hurt anyone feelings especially the Indian Government who I have the highest respect and regard for. The statement was misconstrued and was never intended to be as played out. Once again my deepest apologies,” he wrote.
I apologise if I have hurt anyone feelings especially the Indian Government who I have the highest respect and regard for. The statement was misconstrued and was never intended to be as played out. Once again my deepest apologies
— Lalit Kumar Modi (@LalitKModi) December 29, 2025
Also Check- Lalit Modi And Vijay Mallya’s Viral Mockery From London, Says ‘We’re India’s Biggest Fugitives’ | WATCH
The apology came after a viral video in which Lalit Modi was at Vijay Mallya’s lavish birthday party in London.
In the viral video, Lalit Modi was heard saying, “We are the two fugitives, the biggest fugitives of India.”
Lalit Modi had himself shared the video on Instagram. The post triggered sharp reactions, with several users accusing Lalit Modi and Vijay Mallya of making a “mockery of the Indian government”.
Following the backlash, Lalit Modi deleted the video from his social media handle.
Reacting indirectly to the controversy sparked by Modi’s remarks, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reiterated India’s position that those wanted by law would be brought back to face justice.
“We remain fully committed that people who are fugitives, who are wanted by law in India, they return to the country. For this particular return, we are in talks with several governments, and processes are on. In several of these cases, there are several layers of legalities involved. But we remain committed to bringing them back to the country so that they can face trial before the courts here,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
What Charges Are Lalit Modi And Vijay Mallaya Facing?
Both Lalit Modi and Vijay Mallya are facing serious charges in India and have been residing in the United Kingdom for several years.
As per IANS, Lalit Modi left India in 2010 after allegations surfaced against him relating to tax evasion, money laundering, and proxy ownership linked to the lucrative IPL.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has claimed that he manipulated the process of assigning IPL broadcast rights in 2009, allegedly in exchange for kickbacks exceeding Rs 125 crore.
Meanwhile, Vijay Mallya, the former chairman of United Breweries and promoter of the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines, fled India in 2016 amid allegations of financial fraud.
He is accused of defaulting on multiple bank loans and is said to owe Indian banks around Rs. 9,000 crore.
In 2019, Indian authorities declared Vijay Mallya a “fugitive economic offender,” a designation that he has challenged in the High Court.
(with IANS inputs)
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