Confusion over ‘shades of Blue’

New Delhi: To questions on the Enforcement Directorate notice to Lalit Modi, who has been living in London since 2010, after the external affairs ministry revoked his passport, Mr Jaitley said the “ED has investigated several cases against the person concerned... So far showcause notices have been issued in a large number of cases. These are quasi judicial findings of the ED”.

He added the ED has issued showcause notices to Lalit Modi in 15 out of 16 cases and “in one case the investigation is still pending”. On the “blue corner” notice served on Lalit Modi, Mr Jaitley said there was some confusion about the “shades of blue”, and clarified that the blue corner notice served by Interpol is a dark shade, whereas the DRI’s notice at the ED’s request is of light blue colour, and that continues to be valid.

Coming out in Ms Swaraj’s support, BJP ally Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece Saamna claimed in an editorial that the Opposition was playing a “dangerous game” in targeting and destabilising the government and the external affairs ministry. It urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and order a probe to determine who was making attempts to sully the image of Ms Swaraj.

“Congress is behaving as if Swaraj has helped get bail to arrested fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim or Kasab. This controversy is being fuelled by using a section of the media,” the Sena said in Saamana.