NEW DELHI: Former IPL chief Lalit Modi on Sunday put the Narendra Modi Government in a tight spot after he produced a legal opinion from a former general counsel and director of legal affairs of Interpol, Rutsel Silvestre J Martha, on alleged “Light Blue Notice” against him.
The Centre had claimed that a “Light Blue Notice” was issued by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on the request of the Enforcement Directorate in 2010.
Rutsel Martha opinion dated June 16, tweeted by Lalit Modi on Saturday night claimed that “there is no such thing as an Interpol Light Blue Notice”.
“No member country is legally empowered to issue a blue or any Interpol notice whatsoever, irrespective of colour. Only Interpol general secretariat HQ is legally authorised to issue Interpol notice,” the opinion said, adding that there was no such Interpol notice for financial crimes.
Amidst the confusion of shades of blue corner notice against Lalit Modi, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had said a “Light Blue Notice was issued against the former IPL boss”.
Rutsel Martha said Article 88 of Interpol’s Rules on the Processing of Data (IPRD) on Blue Notice didn’t have concept of “Light Blue Notice”.
“It will be noted that the concept of “Light Blue Notice” does not appear anywhere in that provision, nor elsewhere in the IPRD. Accordingly, the assertion in the media regarding the existence of a “Light Blue Notice” against Lalit Modi is legally incorrect,” Rutsel further said in the legal opinion.
The “Blue Notice” is generally issued by the Interpol to collect additional information about a person’s identity, location or activities in relation to a crime.