File photo of former IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi
Lalit Modi, the controversial former chairman of the Indian Premier League, today
responded to the row over Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj helping him secure emergency travel papers in Britain, with a series of tweets and a detailed defence by his lawyer.
Mr Modi's lawyer Mehmood Abdi denied that he was a "fugitive" with a blue-corner notice against him and accused the Congress of hounding him.
"The people who have got A Raja to
Jamai Raja should introspect and not talk of propriety," said the lawyer.
He told reporters that Sushma Swaraj "
lived up to her duty as Foreign Minister" by helping an Indian in trouble outside the country.
Attacked by the Opposition, Sushma Swaraj has denied any wrongdoing and said that she supported Lalit Modi's request for help on "humanitarian grounds" so that he could be with his wife for her surgery in Portugal.
The
Congress has alleged that the foreign minister intervened on Lalit Modi's behalf even though there is a blue corner notice against him and his passport was revoked by the previous government.
"Interpol secretariat says no blue corner notice has been issued, this claim that has been flying around for the last two days has been demolished," Mr Abdi said.
He alleged that Lalit Modi had been hounded and persecuted ever since he exposed Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's wife Sunanda Pushkar's sweat equity in the Kochi IPL franchise.
While the press meet was on, Lalit Modi tweeted away.
Lalit Modi was removed as IPL chairman in 2010 over allegations of corruption, for which he is being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate.