Mumbai: In a sensational claim, former IPL chief Lalit Modi's lawyer on Monday said that Congress leaders and former union ministers Shashi Tharoor, P Chidambaram and Salman Khurshid had tried to scuttle his client's chances of staying in United Kingdom by unduly interfering in legal process.
While addressing a press conference here, Modi's lawyer Mehmood M Abdi defended the former IPL chief to the hilt. Abdi termed the entire issue involving External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj a "political jamboree" intended to "destabilise the government which is so far free of any scars or scams".
Seeking to turn the tables on Congress, he said Lalit Modi's passport case was argued in UPA's period and hence there is no conflict of interest though the final order came after the government change (last year).
Abdi claimed that in an RTI reply received on June 2010, it was said that Dawood Ibrahim group was monitoring the movement of Lalit Modi and were also following his daughter.
In May 2010 his security was withdrawn after which he left for the UK, he said.
Abdi took serious objection to calling the former IPL commissioner an "offender" since no court of law has declared him so.
Abdi said the "non-issue is being blown out of proportion by the media", which is calling Lalit Modi an offender and criminal.
"No proceedings in any court of law has declared him an offender or a fugitive. He is staying in London with the full knowledge of and complying with UK laws," Abdi said here on behalf of his client who is facing investigation in India.
He further stated no blue corner notice was ever issued against his client.
Responding to the Abdi's briefing from London, Modi tweeted his warning: "Wait and watch... The battle has begun now... All who have not researched their stories and put on air, I am coming after all..."
Lastly before I board another flight to another beautiful destination. This is war. So bring it on. I choose to lose a battle to win a war.
— Lalit Kumar Modi (@LalitKModi) June 15, 2015
Earlier, he said: "In war, there are no winners, I know... But I can assure u I will still be standing... The games have just begun... Lastly, before I board another flight to another beautiful destination. This is war. So bring it on. I choose to lose a battle to win a war."
"This story will turn in its head I can assure you all right now.Let's wait and watch who was on the right and who was in the wrong," Modi's another tweet said.
Here are his other tweets: "Congress party should be watching this press conference. So should all who have jumped up and down in last few years."
"Only thing I want to point out that mr chidambaram, shashi tharoor, Salman Khursheed and erstwhile PMO. Should watch this press briefing."
This is the kind of press conference media wi love. As it will be hard data. Secret emails between govts exchanged. Lying to courts. Etc
— Lalit Kumar Modi (@LalitKModi) June 15, 2015
Further the past UK government should also watch this press briefing. As there is lots of Q u will have to answer to media I can assure u.
— Lalit Kumar Modi (@LalitKModi) June 15, 2015
Meanwhile Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should stop protecting the External Affairs Minister and sack her.
MrLalit Modi is a symbol of Black Money.Mr Modi is standing behind Mr Modi.Who's Sushma Swarajji?She means nothing in this Govt:Rahul Gandhi
— Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) June 15, 2015
It is not a question of Sushma ji resigning, PM Modiji should sack Sushma Swaraj ji from the Govt:Rahul Gandhi #ModiGate
— Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) June 15, 2015
Lalit Modi has been living in London since 2010 to avoid a probe for alleged foreign exchange regulation violations in the T20 cricket tournament held in South Africa in 2009.
The previous UPA government had revoked his passport and had pressed for his extradition.
The genesis of the controversy was disclosure of emails showing that Sushma had spoken to Indian-origin British MP Keith Vaz and its High Commissioner in London James Bevan favouring the grant of travel documents to Lalit Modi to go to Portugal, purportedly for his wife's cancer treatment in June last year.
According to British media which quoted leaked emails, Vaz cited Swaraj's name to put pressure on UK's top immigration official to grant British travel papers to Lalit Modi, who subsequently got the documents in less than 24 hours, as per PTI.
Vaz also offered to help Swaraj's nephew Jyotirmay Kaushal to apply for a British law degree course, the report said.
After the controversy broke, 63-year-old Swaraj took to micro-blogging website Twitter defending her move and claimed that she had helped the former IPL chief on 'humanitarian view'.
