LONDON, NOVEMBER 15: Former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman and founder Lalit Modi has acquired British citizenship, announcing the development on social media and describing the United Kingdom as his home for many years.
Modi shared photographs from his citizenship ceremony, held at a London town hall on September 15, 2026, saying he had decided to publicly announce the personal milestone during an address at the Oxford Union.
In a post on X, Modi said he was proud to become a British citizen and described the occasion as a special moment celebrated in the presence of family and friends.
“The United Kingdom has been my home for many years. It is a country I have come to admire and appreciate deeply — its people, institutions, traditions and values,” he wrote.
He described British citizenship as both a privilege and a responsibility, adding that he embraced it with pride, gratitude and a genuine sense of belonging.
Modi also said his life had been shaped by different cultures and experiences and expressed his desire to continue contributing positively to the country he now proudly calls home.
He thanked his family, friends and everyone who had been part of his journey, while acknowledging the Oxford Union for providing an opportunity to share the announcement.
Modi’s citizenship announcement comes against the backdrop of his long-running legal controversies in India. He left the country in May 2010 after being suspended by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) amid allegations of financial irregularities in the IPL.
In 2015, a special court issued a non-bailable warrant against him after he failed to respond to summonses issued by the Enforcement Directorate in a money-laundering case.
However, in July 2026, an appellate tribunal set aside a penalty imposed on him in a separate Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) case relating to the IPL’s 2009 edition in South Africa.
Modi has repeatedly objected to being described as a fugitive, maintaining that he has not been convicted of any criminal offence.
Concluding his post, Modi noted that the announcement coincided with the birthday of Britain’s King Charles III, celebrated on November 14, and expressed his respect for the British monarch.
