Pranab Mukherjee ordered ED probe against me as revenge for Tharoor sacking, claims Lalit Modi

New Delhi: Former IPL chief Lalit Modi has alleged that it was Pranab Mukherjee who had ordered the Enforcement Directorate probe against him in connection with his IPL-related and personal financial transactions.

Mukherjee was the finance minister in the UPA-2 government when the ED probe against Lalit Modi was initiated in 2010.

Soon after the probe was ordered, Lalit Modi left India and has been living in the United Kingdom since.

The Times of India reported on Friday citing a document that Lalit Modi believed the probe was ordered against him by Mukherjee for revealing the role of former Union minister Shashi Tharoor in the Kochi IPL franchise.

Tharoor was later sacked after the controversy blew up.

Just days ago, the ex-IPL boss had claimed that three former Congress ministers – Shashi Tharoor, P Chidambaram and Salman Khurshid – had tried to scuttle his chances of living in the UK. He had also, reportedly, blamed Chidambaram – the then home minister – for persecuting him for the same reason.

The daily reported that Modi levelled the allegation against Mukherjee, now the President of India, as part of his 46-page statement to UK authorities seeking permission to stay on "as a representative of an overseas business".

Modi had in April 2010 disclosed Tharoor and his late wife Sunanda Pushkar's role in the Kochi IPL franchise. He had also alleged that it was Tharoor who made the bid for the IPL team.

These revelations made Congress furious at me, Lalit Modi had claimed.