In an interview with ANI, Modi stated that there were no investigations into match-fixing during the first three seasons of the IPL, which he governed from 2008 to 2010. He contended that his commitment to maintaining the tournament’s integrity put him in conflict with betting syndicates and organized crime groups.
“Not a single incident was reported during my tenure as IPL commissioner and chairman, nor was there an investigation regarding match-fixing in that timeframe,” Modi asserted.
The former vice-president of the BCCI further claimed that Dawood Ibrahim and his associates made three attempts on his life after he declined offers to ignore match-fixing incidents.
“He took three shots at me. Dawood himself mentioned this. He missed each time,” Modi stated.
Modi indicated that he was offered vast sums of money to turn a blind eye to match-manipulation attempts, which he rejected. He believes this position made him a target for the underworld, displeased with the stringent regulations implemented during the IPL’s formative years.
He also shared that his son was reportedly kidnapped in London in 2012, connecting the incident to the various threats he claims to have encountered after exiting Indian cricket administration.
The IPL founder additionally mentioned that bookmakers incurred significant losses when the tournament’s 2009 edition was moved from India to South Africa due to the Lok Sabha elections. He asserted that many betting syndicates, having heavily wagered on the tournament being canceled, lost money when it successfully took place overseas.
“They assumed it would never shift because they accepted those bets. So, they lost a considerable amount of money. They expected me to earn profit from it. I didn’t encourage them to place those bets,” Modi remarked.
Modi acted as IPL chairman from 2008 to 2010 before being removed from the position. In 2013, he received a lifetime ban from the BCCI.
