Is Former IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi in Trouble Again Over Pesticide Business?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Lalit Modi faces renewed scrutiny over a pesticide business linked to his family.
- State minister Kirodi Lal Meena highlights serious allegations of counterfeit products.
- Legal action is being pursued under the Insecticides Act, 1968.
- The raid aims to protect farmers from fraudulent agricultural inputs.
- Modi's past controversies include a lifetime ban from all BCCI activities.
Jaipur, June 12 (NationPress) Former IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi is once again encountering difficulties in Rajasthan. A warehouse allegedly operated by his family has been sealed following a raid by state minister Kirodi Lal Meena, who inspected pesticide factories and warehouses in Jaipur and surrounding areas late last night.
Kirodi accused Indophil—a firm with a turnover in the thousands of crores—of having connections to businessman Lalit Modi.
He disclosed that the company lists Ruchir Modi, Charu Modi, and Parul Modi as directors.
“While it’s not wrong to be a director, the products stored in the company’s warehouse raise serious concerns. Such items can jeopardize the livelihoods of farmers,” he stated.
Highlighting a series of scams involving fake fertilizers, seeds, and pesticides, Meena emphasized, “This kind of malpractice will devastate farmers. Our agriculture department is actively addressing counterfeit products, and we are implementing strict actions against negligent inspectors.”
In a series of posts on X, Meena revealed that during inspections of several pesticide companies in Jaipur’s Chomu area, numerous irregularities were uncovered.
These included Indophil Industry Ltd., two entities of Udit Overseas Ltd., Shriram Krishi Chemicals Ltd., and Shriram Agriculture Industry, among others.
Counterfeit and substandard pesticides were found packaged under the names of well-known brands, resulting in an immediate ban on their production and sale.
Kirodi additionally noted that unauthorized warehouses storing pesticides in breach of safety regulations were also discovered.
He mentioned that the Government of India has mandated strict legal action under the Insecticides Act, 1968, instructing all accountable officials to act swiftly. “Let us not ruin our farmers.”
Kirodi urged the government to shield the farming community from counterfeit agricultural inputs that threaten their yields and financial security.
In 2013, Lalit Modi, the former IPL chairman, was handed a lifetime ban from all BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) activities.
This ban resulted from allegations of misconduct and indiscipline, particularly regarding irregularities in the bidding process for IPL franchises and unauthorized sale of broadcasting rights.
Shortly after the conclusion of IPL 2010, Modi was suspended from BCCI due to accusations of misconduct, indiscipline, and financial irregularities. BCCI initiated an investigation against him, ultimately banning him for life in 2013 after a committee found him guilty of these charges.