Modi loses appeal in Cairns libel case

Lalit Modi, the former IPL chairman, has lost his appeal against the level of damages awarded in his libel case defeat against Chris Cairns. Modi was ordered to pay Cairns £90,000 ($142,000), as well as costs in excess of £1 million ($1.6m), in March over a defamatory tweet sent in January 2010, after a two-week hearing at the High Court.

Modi was given leave to appeal the damages but not liability. However, the Lord Chief Justice on Wednesday announced that Modi's case had been thrown out, saying the amount awarded to Cairns, the former New Zealand allrounder, was "proportionate to the seriousness of the allegation".

A Court of Appeal statement said: "We reject the criticisms of the judge's reasoning or of the total award based on a starting point of £75,000 with the £15,000 uplift directly linked to the conduct of the hearing. In our judgment they were proportionate to the seriousness of the allegation and its direct impact on Mr Cairns himself and will serve to vindicate his reputation. The appeal is accordingly dismissed."