- Lalit Modi won 16-year FEMA case; tribunal overturned penalties.
- Tribunal ruled remittances needed no RBI approval, overturning ED.
- Modi plans India return late this year or next.
Lalit Modi India Return: Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi has revealed that he intends to visit India later this year or in early 2027 after securing a major legal victory in the long-running IPL 2009 South Africa FEMA case. The businessman described the tribunal’s decision as the culmination of a legal battle that lasted more than 16 years. Modi shared the update through a video message on social media, expressing relief after the Appellate Tribunal under SAFEMA overturned key penalties imposed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Modi Hails Verdict After 16-Year Legal Battle
#WATCH | IPL founder and first chairman Lalit Modi to return to India.
He says, “I’m really happy with the verdict yesterday. It’s really been a great day. 16 years I have fought and whatever I have been saying to the media and to everybody has finally emerged as the truth. I’m… pic.twitter.com/QTN7VkzuEy
— ANI (@ANI) July 22, 2026
Reacting to the ruling, Lalit Modi said the decision had validated the position he had maintained throughout the case.
“I’m really happy with the verdict. It’s really been a great day. Sixteen years I have fought and whatever I have been saying to the media and to everybody has finally emerged as the truth,”
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The tribunal ruled that the foreign remittances related to the 2009 IPL in South Africa were current account transactions that did not require prior approval from the Reserve Bank of India.
It also held that Modi was not responsible for ensuring the BCCI’s compliance with the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
The ED had investigated the relocation of the 2009 IPL to South Africa after the tournament clashed with India’s general elections.
India Visit On The Cards
Having lived in London since 2010, Modi said he now hopes to return to India after spending years away.
“I’m going to move on in my life and I’m looking forward to coming back to India. Yes, I will come back probably at the end of this year or early next year. My daughter is due with my grandson in October and hopefully everything will be well and I’ll be back in India,”
In a separate post on X, he emphasised that India continues to hold a special place in his life. He also clarified that London would remain his permanent residence.
