By IANS,
New Delhi: Suspended IPL chief Lalit Modi’s father K.K. Modi Tuesday said his son was bound to be “targeted” because he was successful. He, however, added that the entire controversy has only proved to be beneficial to him.
“When you are successful, you are bound to be targeted,” K.K. Modi told a news channel.
Asked if he thought that there was a larger political motive behind the entire league controversy, which ultimately led to Lalit Modi being suspended by the governing council of the Indian Premier League on charges of financial impropriety, his father said: “In India or anywhere else, where there is lot of money and fame involved, politics is involved as well”.
“But I don’t have exact knowledge (on the matter) because I have not discussed with him,” he added.
But K.K. Modi felt the row would only benefit his son.
“He (Lalit) is immensely benefiting by this attack. Which businessman in India appears on pages 1, 2 and 3 (of newspapers), in all magazines and news channels? So I don’t think he has suffered any loss because of this. It is beneficial”.
“I will back him up. There is no question of not giving any help, but I don’t think he needs any help. He is a very strong person,” Modi said.
Modi senior had earlier told a newspaper that Lalit Modi would succeed him as the head of the family group’s flagship company Godfrey Phillips India, the makers of Marlboro, Four Square amd Red & White cigarettes.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Monday charged its vice president Lalit Modi on several counts of financial impropriety, including allegations of bid rigging, and appointed another vice-president and corporate honcho Chirayu Amin as interim president of the lucrative IPL.