Sameer Modi Arrested in Delhi
Businessman Sameer Modi, brother of former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi, was arrested by Delhi Police on Thursday night at the city’s international airport. A woman has accused him of rape, blackmail, and intimidation dating back to 2019.
According to police, the complainant lodged a formal First Information Report (FIR) on September 10 at New Friends Colony police station. A Look-Out Circular was subsequently issued, leading to Modi’s detention when he returned from a business trip to Europe. A Delhi court has remanded him to one day of police custody.
Woman’s Allegations
The woman alleges that Sameer Modi first approached her in 2019, offering what appeared to be a job opportunity in the fashion and lifestyle sector. She claims he invited her to his New Friends Colony residence in December that year and coerced her into a sexual relationship.
Despite knowing he was married, she says he repeatedly assaulted and threatened her with harm, promising marriage to keep her silent. She further alleges he warned that she and her family would be killed if she reported the assaults.
Defence and Extortion Claim
Modi’s lawyer, Simran Singh, dismissed the accusations as fabricated. “The FIR is based on false and misleading information,” Singh said, adding that the complaint was filed “to extort money.”
The defence maintains the relationship was consensual and that Modi had already filed police complaints in August accusing the woman of extortion and blackmail. They claim WhatsApp messages show she demanded ₹50 crore. The legal team has also criticised police for what they call a “hurried arrest without proper verification.”
Family Disputes and Business Background
Sameer Modi is the founder of Colorbar Cosmetics and the Modi Care Foundation, and serves as managing director of Modi Enterprises, where Lalit Modi is president. He has been involved in a long-running inheritance dispute with his mother, Bina Modi, and siblings over property valued at about ₹11,000 crore.
In 2024, he was removed from the board of Godfrey Phillips India after alleging that his mother’s security guard assaulted him during a board meeting—an accusation she denied.
Lalit Modi’s Business Empire
Lalit Modi, who launched the IPL in 2008, heads a conglomerate with an estimated valuation of ₹12,000 crore, spanning industries from tobacco and pan masala to retail, education, cosmetics, and hospitality. Media reports place his personal wealth near ₹4,500 crore.
He has lived in London since 2010 after facing corruption allegations related to IPL contracts worth hundreds of crores. The BCCI suspended him following an investigation, and India’s Enforcement Directorate issued a Blue Corner notice while his passport was revoked.
