File photo: Sushma Swaraj with Lalit Modi during an IPL match in New Delhi in 2010. (Press Trust of India photo)
The BJP has backed External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in the controversy over the grant of travel documents to Lalit Modi, the former Indian Premier League commissioner who is being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate. The Congress has demanded her ouster. The minister met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and claimed she has done nothing wrong. Lalit Modi has refused to comment on the matter.
Following are the latest developments in this story:
Backing Ms Swaraj, BJP President Amit Shah said, "There were no moral grounds involved. The help was based on humanitarian grounds." Home Minister Rajnath Singh said, "What Sushma ji has done, it is right... I want to clarify that the government stands with her."
Ms Swaraj also spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi today. Sources said she told the PM there was no wrong-doing on her part. The BJP's ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, defended Ms Swaraj, saying whatever she might have done would have been guided by her "humane" nature and "nationalistic" spirit.
Lalit Modi, who is facing an ED probe into allegations of financial irregularities in the IPL, said, "Waiting and watching the story unfold. No comment for now". He has been in the UK since 2010 when the IPL was caught in a storm over an alleged illegal betting scandal.
The Opposition Congress has demanded Ms Swaraj's resignation for conveying India's no-objection to the UK for the grant of the documents to Lalit Modi in July 2014, accusing the minister of misusing her authority. The former IPL commissioner's passport was revoked in 2010 and restored by the Delhi High Court in August last year.
The Opposition parties have also alleged a conflict of interest after reports that Ms Swaraj's husband and daughter had represented Lalit Modi for years. Bansuri Swaraj has represented Lalit Modi for seven years. Court documents list her as one of the lawyers appearing for him. Ms Swaraj's husband Swaraj Kaushal provided legal counsel to Lalit Modi for 22 years.
"In the interest of transparency, Government of India should release the letters written to the UK Chancellor on the Lalit Modi case," tweeted senior Congress leader P Chidambaram.
In a series of tweets, Ms Swaraj said she had merely conveyed Lalit Modi's request to the British envoy "taking a humanitarian view"."What benefit did I pass on to Lalit Modi... He was in London. After his wife's surgery, he came back to London. What is it that I changed?" she tweeted.
In July 2014, Lalit Modi told her that his wife was suffering from cancer and he had to be in hospital to sign the consent papers for her operation, which was to take place on August 4 in Portugal, Ms Swaraj said in her tweets.
Lalit Modi, the minister claimed, had said the UK government was prepared to give him travel documents, but was restrained by a communication from the erstwhile UPA government that it would "spoil Indo-UK relations". "Taking a humanitarian view, I conveyed to the British High Commissioner that the British Government should examine the request of Lalit Modi as per British rules... If the British Government chooses to give travel documents... that would not spoil our bilateral relations," she added.
According to the British media, Indian-origin British MP Keith Vaz cited the name of Ms Swaraj to put pressure on UK's top immigration official to grant British travel papers to Lalit Modi.
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