India is all set to request the UK to extradite former IPL chairman Lalit Modi, facing money laundering probe, with the Enforcement Directorate asking the Ministry of External Affairs to act in this regard.
"The Enforcement Directorate has sent us an extradition request. It is currently being examined by our legal experts.
Once we make sure that it is in good shape, we will send it to the UK side for consideration," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.
The Enforcement Directorate wants Modi to "join investigation" in a case relating to T-20 cricket Indian Premier League (IPL) competition after an FIR was registered against him and others under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
A special court in Mumbai two months back had issued an order allowing the ED to begin extradition proceedings against Modi in connection with its money laundering probe against him and others.
In August last year, the agency had moved the Interpol to get a red corner notice issued against Modi but the international police body has not obliged it yet in this regard.
Interpol authorities, time and again, have sought additional information from ED investigators on their money laundering case against Modi as part of the process to issue such a world-wide warrant against him.
The ED is probing Modi, the IPL and its executives for alleged violation of anti-money laundering laws after registering a criminal FIR in 2012.
The FIR was filed after the central agency took cognizance of a cheating complaint filed by former BCCI chief N Srinivasan against Modi and half a dozen others with the Chennai police.
The ED subsequently invoked PMLA along with sections 420 (cheating) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC to probe if BCCI-IPL and the exchequer had been cheated in the award of telecast rights for the T-20 tournament in 2009.
As per ED investigators, they have substantial evidence to state that Modi is based in the UK at present.
Modi has denied any wrongdoing.