Samir Modi, the younger brother of fugitive businessman and former IPL chairman Lalit Modi, has been arrested on rape charges. Delhi Police detained the 55-year-old at Delhi airport when he returned from London. After questioning, police took him to court, which sent him to judicial custody for one day. Samir will appear before the court again on September 19.

Details of the Case

The case was filed at New Friends Colony Police Station in southeast Delhi. According to sources, the complaint came from Samir’s former live-in partner, who also worked with Godfrey Phillips India, the company chaired by Samir’s mother, Bina Modi.

The woman approached police recently, and the case was registered on September 10.

• She alleged that Samir sexually assaulted her repeatedly since 2019.

• Reports suggest the two were in a relationship for around eight years.

• According to The Indian Express, she allegedly demanded a settlement of ₹50 crore.

Samir’s lawyers dismissed the charges as “an extortion attempt.”

Police booked Samir under:

• IPC Section 376 – punishment for rape

• IPC Section 506 – criminal intimidation

Family Dispute Over Multi-Crore Trust

Samir’s arrest comes against the backdrop of a long-running family feud over wealth and control of the Modi business empire.

The dispute began after the death of industrialist K.K. Modi in November 2019. K.K. Modi left behind assets valued at ₹11,000 crore, along with a family trust to manage the distribution.

The trust named four key family members as trustees:

• Bina Modi – wife and current chairperson of Godfrey Phillips India (GPI)

• Lalit Modi – elder son, now living in the UK

• Samir Modi – younger son

• Charu Modi – daughter and businesswoman

However, since his passing, tensions have escalated.

• Samir and Lalit claim the assets should be valued at ₹29,000 crore, far higher than the trust’s estimate.

• Bina and Charu, meanwhile, have opposed their claims and questioned their management decisions.

• The feud has spilled over into boardroom battles and legal fights involving Godfrey Phillips, India’s second-largest tobacco company.

Violence and Legal Complaints

The dispute turned physical last year.

On May 30, 2024, Samir alleged that his mother’s private security officer (PSO) stopped him from entering a Godfrey Phillips board meeting and assaulted him, leaving him “grievously injured.”

In his police complaint, Samir said, “This attack was orchestrated because of greed and to deprive me of my rights, my inheritance, and with the intention to kill me or make me settle on their dictated terms.”

The incident caused a major stir in corporate circles.

• Three GPI directors later filed a defamation case against Samir.

• Initially, the trial court dismissed the case, but last month the sessions court revived it and summoned Samir.

Samir was also not reappointed as Executive Director of GPI, which he challenged in the Delhi High Court. The court granted him protection, allowing him to continue contesting his removal.

While Samir battles multiple cases, Bina Modi remains the company’s chairperson and managing director.
Lalit Modi, who left India in 2010 amid legal troubles, continues to live in the UK.

Samir’s current legal fight adds another layer to the Modi family’s bitter feud, which involves allegations of violence, financial manipulation, and now, a serious criminal charge.

The case will be closely watched as Samir returns to court on September 19, with both the rape case and the ongoing trust dispute unfolding simultaneously.