Harish Salve, former Solicitor General of India, married his British partner Trina in London on Sunday. The wedding was attended by high-profile guests including Nita Ambani, steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal and model Ujjwala Raut. However, it was former IPL chairman Lalit Modi’s presence that has stirred a political controversy, drawing flak from opposition parties.
Lalit Modi, who lives in London, left India in 2010 amid investigations into alleged tax evasion and money-laundering. The Opposition questioned the “presence of a fugitive” at the wedding of Salve, one of the country’s seniormost lawyers, who was also recently appointed to a high-level committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind to explore the possibility of ‘One Nation, One Election’.
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POLITICAL REACTIONS TO LALIT MODI’S PRESENCE AT WEDDING
Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi slammed the Centre over Lalit Modi’s presence at the wedding.
“Not that I care about sarkari BJP lawyer marrying a third time & then very conveniently waxing eloquent on behalf of Modi government on uniform marriage laws, polygamy etc but what should concern everyone is the presence of a fugitive who is escaping Indian law as an invitee and celebrating Modi government’s favourite lawyer’s wedding. Who’s helping whom? Who’s protecting whom is now not even a question anymore,” Chaturvedi tweeted.
Maharashtra Congress’s Pritesh Shah also criticised Lalit Modi’s presence at Salve’s wedding and said, “Rahul Gandhi was disqualified for calling Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi thief and Harish Salve defend it. Recently Modi govt formed a high-level committee on ‘One Nation, One Election.’ Harish Salve, who is enjoying with fugitive Lalit Modi, is part of that committee.”
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also reacted to Lalit Modi’s presence at the wedding and called it a “black mark on PM Modi’s reputation”.
LALIT MODI CONTROVERSY
After Indian Premier League (IPL) 2010, Lalit Modi was suspended from the BCCI after being accused of financial irregularities and misconduct.
Lalit Modi is wanted for allegedly defrauding the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of Rs 753 crore.
Lalit Modi fled India in May 2010 — shortly before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was to file a case against him — citing threat to his life. The Mumbai-headquartered BCCI filed a police case against Lalit Modi in Chennai in October 2010.
Lalit Modi has been in London since 2010 when he left India amid investigations into tax evasion and money-laundering cases.