External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday admitted she had helped former IPL chief Lalit Modi procure documents to travel to Portugal last July on "humanitarian grounds" for treatment of his cancer-afflicted wife.Sushma Swaraj, in a series of 14 tweets, said she helped Lalit Modi, who has been staying in London since 2010 following allegations of financial impropriety, after he said his wife was suffering from cancer and was to undergo surgery in Portugal.She, however, denied having sought any favour for her nephew Jyotirmay Kaushal with regard to his admission in a law course at Sussex University."What benefit did I pass on to Lalit Modi - that he could sign consent papers for surgery of his wife suffering from cancer? He was in London. After his wife's surgery, he came back to London. What is it that I changed?" Sushma said in tweets amid the enveloping row.
Sushma Swaraj is reported to have met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak to him about the row, even as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah and Home Minister Rajnath Singh came out in support of the senior minister.Her clarification came after Britain's Sunday Times reported an email conversation between influential Labour MP Keith Vaz and head of UK Visas and Immigration Sarah Rapson, citing Sushma Swaraj, to facilitate travel documents for Lalit Modi.The Sunday Times in its report said: "Leaked correspondence reveals how Vaz cited Sushma Swaraj, India's foreign minister, to the Home Office in an effort to expedite the case of Lalit Modi, a mutual acquaintance.""... Lalit Modi spoke to me that his wife was suffering from cancer and her surgery was fixed for 4th Aug in Portugal. He told me that he had to be present in the Hospital to sign the consent papers," Sushma Swaraj tweeted.
"He informed me that he had applied for travel documents in London and UK government was prepared to give him the travel documents. However, they were restrained by a UPA Government communication that this will spoil Indo-UK relations," she added."Taking a humanitarian view, I conveyed to the British High Commissioner that British Government should examine the request of Lalit Modi as per British rules and regulations. If the British Government chooses to give travel documents to Lalit Modi - that will not spoil our bilateral relations," said the minister."Keith Vaz also spoke to me and I told him precisely what I told the British High Commissioner," she said.
Sushma Swaraj said she "genuinely believe that in a situation such as this, giving emergency travel documents to an Indian citizen cannot and should not spoil relations between the two countries".She added that a few days after that, the Delhi High Court quashed an order by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA), which was then in power, to impound Lalit Modi's passport."I may also state that only a few days later, Delhi High Court quashed UPA Government's order impounding Lalit Modi's passport on the ground that the said order was unconstitutional being violative of fundamental rights and he got his passport back," she said.The Enforcement Directorate has initiated proceedings against Lalit Modi and in March 2010, the Regional Passport Office in Mumbai had revoked his passport.With regard to her nephew's admission, she said: "Regarding Jyotirmay Kaushal's admission in a law course at Sussex University, he secured admission through the normal admission process in 2013 - one year before I became a Minister."