Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi has received significant legal relief after the Appellate Tribunal under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act (SAFEMA) set aside the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) penalty against him in the 2009 IPL South Africa case. The verdict, delivered on July 16 by a division bench comprising Chairman Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Member Rajesh Malhotra, concluded that there was no material evidence to establish Modi’s personal responsibility in the alleged Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) violations.

The tribunal, in its 105-page judgment, observed that Lalit Modi was not directly in charge of the affairs related to the alleged transactions and noted that the case against him lacked sufficient evidence linking him to the purported violations. The ruling marks a major development in one of Indian cricket’s longest-running legal battles.

The case dates back to 2009, when the Indian Premier League was shifted to South Africa after security concerns arising from India’s general elections. The Enforcement Directorate had alleged that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) transferred foreign exchange worth USD 49.86 million to an overseas entity without obtaining prior approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which it claimed violated FEMA regulations.

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However, the appellate tribunal ruled that the available records did not establish Modi’s direct accountability for the alleged breach, ultimately overturning the penalty imposed by the ED. Reacting to the verdict, Lalit Modi welcomed the decision and reiterated that his actions were always guided by the interests of Indian cricket and the IPL.

“I’m really happy that the tribunal has ruled in my favour. I was only concerned with the well-being of the IPL and nothing else. That is the most dear to me,” Modi said in a statement issued through his lawyer, Mehmood Abdi. “Now that chapter is behind me, I’m going to move on with my life, and I’m looking forward to coming back to India.”

🚨Lalit Modi Returning to India 🚨

Lalit Modi announced he plans to return to India after 16 years following a legal tribunal ruling#IPL #LalitModi #cricketviral pic.twitter.com/MXmEufWuV1

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Modi also maintained that he had consistently acted in good faith throughout the controversy. “For over sixteen years, I have consistently maintained one simple position: I acted in good faith, in the best interests of Indian cricket and the IPL, and committed no personal wrongdoing,” he said.

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The former IPL chief added that the tribunal’s ruling reinforces the importance of due legal process and an evidence-based judicial system. Modi also revealed that he hopes to return to India by the end of this year or early next year, subject to family commitments. Having left India in 2010 amid multiple investigations by the ED, the Income Tax Department and the BCCI, the verdict brings a major legal chapter spanning more than 16 years closer to its conclusion.