Sushma Swaraj fixed Lalit Modi travel, aided scam-tainted ex-IPL chief get travel papers
New Delhi: External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj was on Sunday embroiled in a row for helping scam-tainted former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi to obtain British travel papers. The minister was, however, strongly supported by the government and the top BJP leadership, that categorically rejected the Opposition’s demands for her resignation.
The controversy came to light after the revelation of some emails showing that she had spoken to Indian-origin British MP Keith Vaz and UK high commissioner to India Sir James Bevan favouring the grant of travel documents to Mr Lalit Modi. The former Indian Premier League boss is wanted in India and has made London his home since 2010 to avoid a probe for alleged betting and misappropriation of funds in the T-20 cricket tournament.
What benefit did I pass on to Lalit Modi - that he could sign consent papers for surgery of his wife suffering from Cancer ?
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) June 14, 2015According to the leaked emails, that were widely quoted in the British media, Mr Vaz had cited Ms Swaraj’s name to put pressure on the United Kingdom’s top immigration official to grant British travel papers to Mr Lalit Modi, who later got the documents in less than 24 hours.
Media reports also claimed that Mr Vaz had also offered to help Ms Swaraj’s nephew Jyotirmay Kaushal to apply for a British law degree course.
Soon after the reports came out, Ms Swaraj, 63, said in a series of tweets, that she had taken a “humanitarian view” and had conveyed to the British high commissioner that they should examine Mr Lalit Modi’s request as per their rules, and “if the British government chooses to give travel documents to Mr Lalit Modi... that will not spoil our bilateral relations”.
Taking a humanitarian view, I conveyed to the British High Commissioner that "British Government should examine the request of
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) June 14, 2015Lalit Modi as per British rules and regulations. If the British Government chooses to give travel documents to Lalit Modi,
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) June 14, 2015