:00:00. > :00:15.In HARDtalk this week, the former chief of the Indian Premier League,
:00:15. > :00:23.Welcome to HARDtalk. Thanks to commercialisation, cricket, a game
:00:23. > :00:26.transformed into a multibillion dollar sporting commodity. The
:00:26. > :00:31.cradle of this cricketing revolution has been India, home of the Indian
:00:31. > :00:38.Premier League, the world's richest cricket tournament. Like yesterday,
:00:38. > :00:43.Lalit Modi, was the creator. And now he has been banished from cricket
:00:43. > :00:52.corruption and dodgy dealing. Is he has been banished from cricket
:00:52. > :00:53.corruption and dodgy dealing. Is greed killing cricket? —— my guest
:00:53. > :01:39.personally love cricket? I love Thank you for having me. You are
:01:39. > :01:41.personally love cricket? I love cricket. I did not initially. I
:01:41. > :01:46.personally love cricket? I love to love it over the years. I like
:01:46. > :01:50.all kinds of sports. Cricket grew on me while I was in college. All of my
:01:50. > :01:57.friends were watching baseball, basketball. I could not understand
:01:57. > :02:00.football and basketball. They were all watching. I thought I need to go
:02:00. > :02:05.back and look at my sport. That all watching. I thought I need to go
:02:05. > :02:09.cricket. It is interesting you say that. I look at recollections of
:02:09. > :02:13.people about your use. A lot of people say that he did not seem
:02:13. > :02:15.people about your use. A lot of passionate about it. What you were
:02:15. > :02:22.passionate about was marketing. Without a doubt. All of my friends
:02:22. > :02:32.were watching some kind of sport. I could not get them out in their
:02:32. > :02:39.rooms for a football. —— for dinner. It was the marketing site that I saw
:02:39. > :02:46.an opportunity. It was the money. But it was not at that time. It
:02:46. > :02:46.an opportunity. It was the money. that sports got such detention from
:02:46. > :02:57.thought it was incredible. When that sports got such detention from
:02:57. > :03:01.said that we needed to have more went back to India for a college, I
:03:01. > :03:06.said that we needed to have more sports. Cricket could not be a
:03:06. > :03:12.cricket as it was. You had a vision better product than anything else.
:03:12. > :03:14.cricket as it was. You had a vision of a very different sport. A sport
:03:14. > :03:18.that was all about a quick fix. showbiz entertainment. Nothing like
:03:18. > :03:30.will take place at night rather showbiz entertainment. Nothing like
:03:30. > :03:35.the essence of test cricket. Not true. In 1991, when a first created
:03:35. > :03:52.There was a transformation across true. In 1991, when a first created
:03:52. > :03:56.There was a transformation across sports around the world. The product
:03:56. > :03:59.was marketed. That is how I came up with the idea. But everything else
:03:59. > :04:05.came and it doesn't and seven. with the idea. But everything else
:04:05. > :04:12.years after. —— came into thousand and seven. What drove the business
:04:12. > :04:31.for a other countries around the world was the idea of the Premier
:04:31. > :04:36.It was a very big hit. Before we get into what happened, I just want
:04:36. > :04:38.It was a very big hit. Before we get quote you something written just the
:04:38. > :04:47.other day by a leading cricket writer. He said that you were a
:04:47. > :04:53.colossus who stroked the cricketing world with an arrogance and conceit
:04:53. > :04:56.befitting a dictator. But just a couple of years later, you have
:04:56. > :04:59.befitting a dictator. But just a consigned to history's dustbin.
:04:59. > :05:04.befitting a dictator. But just a that how you feel about your career?
:05:04. > :05:11.League. It took a long time. When I Not at all. Totally different. I had
:05:12. > :05:16.League. It took a long time. When I was able to fulfil it, yes you need
:05:16. > :05:35.has been running. In a world that sporting world. But look at every
:05:35. > :05:37.has been running. In a world that has a closed club of members who are
:05:37. > :05:47.differently. For me to get it going, used to being things their own way.
:05:47. > :05:59.had to be a no—nonsense person in I had to set forward my goals.
:05:59. > :06:02.had to be a no—nonsense person in terms of executing it. There were
:06:02. > :06:07.many vested interests who wanted it to succeed. The style that he is
:06:07. > :06:13.referring to was the style of a dictator. I would not say that I was
:06:13. > :06:20.a dictator. I was making sure that I had a goal and achieved it. You
:06:20. > :06:20.a dictator. I was making sure that I prepared to use pretty much any
:06:20. > :06:26.method necessary to achieve it. prepared to use pretty much any
:06:26. > :06:29.used contacts and called in favours from political friends. He used
:06:29. > :06:35.used contacts and called in favours friends in Bollywood. You used any
:06:35. > :06:42.connection to create this perception different from any other sporting
:06:42. > :06:51.enterprise. That is one way of looking at it. But it is true. It is
:06:51. > :06:55.not true. I had friends and family and politicians. You are from one of
:06:55. > :07:02.the richest, best connected families in India. Without a doubt.I used my
:07:02. > :07:05.friends to enhanced something for the country. At the end of the day,
:07:05. > :07:11.the Premier League is something the country. At the end of the day,
:07:11. > :07:19.is owned by a charitable institution and all I did was ensure a that
:07:19. > :07:19.is owned by a charitable institution used my contacts and favours to
:07:19. > :07:23.ensure the success of a product used my contacts and favours to
:07:23. > :07:29.everybody thought would not work. To ensure the success of the product
:07:29. > :07:30.that was frankly all about you. The cricketing authorities have looked
:07:30. > :07:34.at great length about the way you cricketing authorities have looked
:07:34. > :07:36.at great length about the way you ran the IPL as an organisation and
:07:36. > :07:50.fixing of franchising and the slush their business. You pointed to
:07:50. > :07:56.fixing of franchising and the slush up rival groups in England because
:07:56. > :08:08.you are so angry at your dismissal. perception. It was the result of
:08:08. > :08:13.invested investigation. They were a club of people already in cricket. I
:08:13. > :08:24.was a newcomer. You worked with club of people already in cricket. I
:08:24. > :08:33.club. You used it at the time. It myself. People thought I did it
:08:33. > :08:36.club. You used it at the time. It my personal gains. I did the IPL for
:08:36. > :08:46.the Indian cricket world. I was going to launch the Premier League
:08:46. > :08:56.cricket authorities gave me the licence. —— 1996. A lot of people
:08:56. > :09:01.were behind the scenes. You seem to be suggesting that the cricketing
:09:01. > :09:07.authorities in India are somehow an illegitimate source of information
:09:07. > :09:09.about what you did at the IPL. But when the board of control was useful
:09:09. > :09:14.to you, you worked very closely when the board of control was useful
:09:14. > :09:20.them. You were on their aboard for quite a long time. It is only now
:09:20. > :09:21.because they see that you were corrupt, you attract a undermined
:09:21. > :09:29.them. There were always against corrupt, you attract a undermined
:09:29. > :09:35.Then why were you on the board? corrupt, you attract a undermined
:09:35. > :09:39.tried to change the organisation. We succeeded in getting onto the board.
:09:39. > :09:54.only 31 members, they decided that I We removed the old regime out of
:09:54. > :09:57.only 31 members, they decided that I have become bigger than the game.
:09:58. > :10:01.They decided they wanted to take me out. They collaborated. It was the
:10:01. > :10:10.same group that was there before it 2005. I was just one member who
:10:10. > :10:26.went through the charges that they would manage to get on the board. I
:10:26. > :10:31.went through the charges that they put against you, they said that
:10:31. > :10:42.went through the charges that they have now concluded 29—0 within the
:10:42. > :10:46.charged. 29—0 in a broad, and that took 11 minutes to pass a resolution
:10:46. > :10:59.for a report that runs thousands of overwhelming. The evidence is not
:10:59. > :11:05.evidence. I was never allowed to appear before the committee. I was
:11:05. > :11:12.committee. But they delayed it for some reason or the other. Why not go
:11:12. > :11:19.back to India, having been banned authorities, and make the case that
:11:19. > :11:27.you are making to me to them? To me, life is more precious. I have had
:11:27. > :11:29.assassination attempt on my life? Are you suggesting the cricketing
:11:29. > :11:36.authorities would be behind attempts on your life? There are other people
:11:36. > :11:41.connected with the game of cricket, illegal bookmakers, the mafia,
:11:41. > :11:47.people behind match fixing, they are illegal bookmakers, the mafia,
:11:47. > :11:50.people behind match fixing, they are the ones that put attempts on my
:11:50. > :11:53.life. It is very well documented. This is the more bite police's
:11:53. > :11:58.claims. —— Mumbai.Some of these This is the more bite police's
:11:59. > :12:04.attempts on your life were not even attempts on your life were not even
:12:04. > :12:10.in India. There were some in India. That is a remarkable number of
:12:10. > :12:35.and you say that you cannot go back not a red herring? You are accused
:12:35. > :12:37.and you say that you cannot go back wrongdoing. It has been 2.5 years.
:12:37. > :12:49.Not a single court in India has investigating the matter. Not a
:12:49. > :12:56.single one has charged me with anything. But you know that if you
:12:56. > :13:08.say this is just about a vendetta, exhaustively investigated new for
:13:08. > :13:18.violations of foreign exchange law. They are investigating. They have
:13:18. > :13:25.found nothing. You refuse to answer questions. Of course not. This comes
:13:25. > :13:34.back to you not been prepared to go home. I am answering every question
:13:34. > :13:42.enforcement director. Why do you not go back? I refuse to go back because
:13:42. > :13:47.when I was in India because of political intervention... There
:13:47. > :13:49.when I was in India because of always a reason. But he refused
:13:49. > :13:54.when I was in India because of answer the question. I have answered
:13:54. > :14:04.the question every time. You did not answer the questions in 2010? Why
:14:04. > :14:08.would I go back to India when there is an assassin on the loose? He
:14:08. > :14:14.police protection was taken away by supposed to be a double agent. The
:14:14. > :14:14.police protection was taken away by the government on a basis. You are
:14:14. > :14:21.of personal security that would the government on a basis. You are
:14:21. > :14:30.of personal security that would ensure your safety while you go
:14:30. > :14:50.was withdrawn and that was the night are absolutely right. And I did
:14:50. > :14:51.was withdrawn and that was the night I left. You seem to think that
:14:52. > :15:01.everybody in India is out to get you. Not everybody. But some people.
:15:01. > :15:03.I am very happy to answer questions. I have answered every question in
:15:03. > :15:12.writing through lawyers to them I have answered every question in
:15:12. > :15:28.different notices. I have ants in 15. —— and —— answered. You have
:15:28. > :15:32.been on the wrong end of them. He sued you for defamation after you
:15:32. > :15:37.alleged that he had been associated with match fixing. It was taken
:15:37. > :15:44.through the British High Court and destroying his career. I agree with
:15:44. > :15:58.that. The Indian Premier League destroying his career. I agree with
:15:58. > :16:02.now racked with allegations of match fixing, criminality, connections to
:16:02. > :16:10.organised crime. How could that fixing, criminality, connections to
:16:10. > :16:12.happen? It happened after me. I fixing, criminality, connections to
:16:12. > :16:17.not allow organised crime to happen. I was a tough master. I am wondering
:16:17. > :16:30.here. Where you approached by match I was a tough master. I am wondering
:16:30. > :16:34.here. Where you approached by match did not entertain anybody. That
:16:34. > :16:34.here. Where you approached by match very well established. When I ran
:16:34. > :16:42.the ship, the ship sailed and we very well established. When I ran
:16:42. > :17:03.earth are you not, with the police, were happy and the fans were happy.
:17:03. > :17:13.earth are you not, with the police, eliminated from your sport? —— did
:17:13. > :17:21.you not. I was very tough. In any sport if you have fixing it is going
:17:21. > :17:26.to die. I worked very hard to ensure that this sort of thing didn't
:17:26. > :17:37.happen. Today what has come to light in the Indian Premier League...
:17:37. > :17:44.Their hands and glove. Let's talk about the game of cricket. We had
:17:44. > :17:48.talked about the game of cricket to the fixers and the mafia, they are
:17:48. > :18:02.pretty much controlling the game controversial allegations here
:18:02. > :18:14.today. I use saying that people running the Indian Premier League
:18:15. > :18:22.are hand in glove involved with organised criminals? Yes. Is it
:18:22. > :18:26.are hand in glove involved with your duty to return to your country
:18:26. > :18:36.and make your stand inside India? I can make a stand outside of India. I
:18:36. > :18:46.don't need to be there when someone has put a hit out on me. It is like
:18:46. > :18:53.a fatwa in the Muslim world. Why would me and my family want to risk
:18:53. > :18:57.doing that at this kind of moment? And go out there when we are not
:18:57. > :19:05.sure that we will get the protection I want? You have told me that. You
:19:05. > :19:09.your Indian passport which was I want? You have told me that. You
:19:09. > :19:13.your Indian passport which was revoked by the government because
:19:13. > :19:15.you refuse to answer the questions. But that is the way it is seen in
:19:15. > :19:26.office. You are fighting to get But that is the way it is seen in
:19:26. > :19:42.passport back but you are telling me course I will go back. When?When I
:19:42. > :19:45.have a security. You just told me that she will never feel secure
:19:45. > :19:51.have a security. You just told me that powerful people in the country
:19:51. > :19:58.are after you. We always go through transitions with elections. They
:19:58. > :19:59.doesn't mean that a member of the future ruling party will be against
:19:59. > :20:06.me. It is very important for me future ruling party will be against
:20:06. > :20:11.get protection from the police in order for me to go back otherwise
:20:11. > :20:14.why would I want to take the drastic step of stepping into the lion
:20:14. > :20:25.stands for someone to take a hit on authorities, the more I think about
:20:25. > :20:30.of international cricket today is of international cricket today is
:20:30. > :20:34.India with its vast young population and its hunger for cricket, is
:20:34. > :20:40.international cricket in a very healthy place when Indian cricket is
:20:40. > :20:57.mess? It is very unfortunate. India in your view in such a terrible
:20:57. > :20:58.mess? It is very unfortunate. India is now threatened. South Africa
:20:58. > :21:12.mess? It is very unfortunate. India going to limit the number of test
:21:12. > :21:23.collapse. You will have one of the strongest members of the ICC of
:21:23. > :21:35.collapse. You will have one of the line or you will be shown the door
:21:35. > :21:38.out. Two quick points. Gideon Hage, the Indian cricket board will from
:21:38. > :21:45.now hold an effective veto over the Indian cricket board will from
:21:45. > :21:56.international cricket. Very true and very unfortunate. They all believe
:21:56. > :22:02.that India, if they do anything against India than India will veto
:22:02. > :22:11.it. A number of commentators in India itself say such is the degree
:22:12. > :22:15.to which the IPL has been riddled with corruption, it needs to be
:22:15. > :22:20.to which the IPL has been riddled down, even temporarily. What do
:22:21. > :22:29.to which the IPL has been riddled think? The Indian cricket board
:22:29. > :22:34.to which the IPL has been riddled already pretty strong. We can't
:22:34. > :22:34.to which the IPL has been riddled partners. We need to ensure the
:22:34. > :22:41.other cricket boards are strong partners. We need to ensure the
:22:41. > :22:43.well. The Indian Premier League partners. We need to ensure the
:22:43. > :22:47.to ensure that players got the right value out of cricket. A lot of
:22:47. > :23:00.benefited by the launch of the value out of cricket. A lot of
:23:00. > :23:00.benefited by the launch of the Champions League. That allows them
:23:00. > :23:04.to get a bigger share of revenue Champions League. That allows them
:23:04. > :23:08.to get a bigger share of revenue than they would get from their own
:23:08. > :23:15.controlling these boards. Give me cricketing rights. India has started
:23:15. > :23:18.controlling these boards. Give me your best guess. When we you be
:23:18. > :23:19.controlling these boards. Give me in India? I hope not longer than a
:23:19. > :23:32.if you get there. I'll talk to you in India? I hope not longer than a
:23:32. > :23:37.if you get there. I'll talk to you here in the studio if you want. We
:23:37. > :23:42.want to see what happens. Thank